Please watch this.
Well said Keith.
It has been a rare occasion when I have turned to politics. The only time I can really think of was last week. A week ago when I wept for joy that our country, my country, would take a stand for change. That joy was bittersweet. While most of us were celebrating a new dawn, my brothers and sisters in several states were mourning the loss of their rights. Their rights to marry, the hope of marrying, the joy and desire to adopt and raise a family to call their own. My GLBT brothers and sisters were denied their rights based on fear and hatred. I don't understand. Really I don't! I'm asking one person, one couple, to explain to me how the relationship I have is threatening to yours? You may not understand my relationship, but how is my relationship denying you yours? How is giving a child two loving parents worse than no parents at all. How? Please, I beg of you to explain to me how my love hurts you?!!
I understand a lot of this is based on religion. I was brought in a church where I was told to love one another. Don't fight. Don't hate. But love. Where did that go?
For the time-being, I can only count my blessings that I live in a community that doesn't actively search out hate. A community, a state, a county that doesn't seek to deny me my right to love.
For the time-being, I can find comfort and hope that my love and prayers reaches my friends across this country and gives them comfort in their time of need.
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I'll take a shot at trying to answer you query. I see two types of people who voted against this. These types overlap, they still have distinct differences.
One are the traditional well-meaning moralists who have seen a society that has, in many ways fallen apart over the past forty years. They out of wedlock births, a high divorce rate, and a host of other things - all of which can have a deteriorating affect on society. And in many cases it has. Much of their feelings come from their religious faith. And they can't separate their religious faith from their views on public policy. They see gay marriage as a threat to what they see as precious - the traditional family. I bet most of them know very little about homosexuality. They can't relate, are oblivious, and somewhat set in their ways. Gay marriage doesn't threaten their marriage, it, instead re-defines what they view to be the bedrock of society. They may mean no harm and they may not hate, but they vote in the way that they think is right.
I understand and somewhat respect their views, even though I don't agree with them.
But then there is the larger group. The types of people who, while having some traditional feelings, have a resentment toward anything different. And they take joy in denying someone from another category. These are the people who voted against Barack Obama - not because of his race - but because of his color. These are people that don't like the "press 1 for English, press 2 for Spanish". Anything different threatens what they are used to. Anything that benefits someone else means, in a warped way, that they must lose.
I wouldn't be surprised if many of the people that voted for Prop 8 fail to live up to the morals they they say they hold. They've had an extra-marital affair (either as the married person or the "other woman or man". They may have had sex outside of marriage. They may have had children out of wedlock. It's similar to complaining about immigrants and then hiring an illegal alien to cut the grass because he is cheaper.
These are the people that Barack Obama was referring to when he said some were bitter and CLUNG to their guns and their religion. Resenting those that are different and denying those that are different are a means to make them feel better about themselves.
So to answer you, with the first group, gay marriage threatens what they consider to be sacred. The second group sees opposing marriage as a means to feel superior. It gives them a sense of control.
The first group you can work with. The second group you cannot.
My two cents.
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