What does it say about the United States and its people when we now are told the upcoming presidential election may be determined by what voters in six or seven so-called swing or pivotal states think about gay marriage?
President Obama has come out and touted his strong personal support of gay marriage. Whether or not the timing of this belief was done to gain votes, gain major fiscal contributions or raise a controversial issue to distract attention from far more serious matters is unknown.
However, many political pundits, both Democratic and Republican, claim there was strong partisan political motivation for Obama’s announcement. They were quick to suggest the gay marriage issue could play a major role in how voters will cast their votes in November.
Aren’t there far more serious issues facing this country, such as the runaway national debt, unemployment and underemployment, immigration, national security, dangerous trouble spots around the globe and this nation’s economy?
Will voters in six or seven swing states end up electing our next president based on which candidate favors gay marriage?
If that is the case, the future of our country is in far greater danger than most citizens realize.
Comments
grammaddy 1 year ago
It's the economy stoopid!!
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year ago
What we need is federal legislation for civil unions, for anyone and everyone of adult age. "Marriage" should have no legal recognition, and should be left to whatever churches or other organizations that feel the need to bestow such recognition on whomever wants it.
ThePilgrim 1 year ago
Better watch out bozo, that is very close to LibertyOne's comment the other day that marriage is a contract between consenting adults, and that's it. On the serious side, I welcome the conversation about "what is marriage?" Many Christians see it as a sacred pact between one man and one woman, and a shadow of Christ and the Church. But at the same time many want the government and courts to sort things out when their marriages go south.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year ago
"Many Christians see it as a sacred pact between one man and one woman, and a shadow of Christ and the Church."
Fine by me, but I don't see any reason why any government needs to get involved in that fantasy roleplaying.
Guitarzan 1 year ago
Except for the brevity, the writing style resembles that of the Saturday Column writer. Three out of six paragraphs are rhetorical questions. A fourth paragraph uses a Fox News rhetorical device to present opinion as fact, i.e. "many pundits claim..." The closing statement relies on an "if/then" leap of faith to make it's point.
The one remaining paragraph not previously noted has a sentence at it's core that really makes no sense. "Whether or not the timing of this belief was done to gain votes, gain major fiscal contributions or raise a controversial issue to distract attention from far more serious matters is unknown."
The timing of "this belief?" Really?
I believe this piece would get a failing grade in any journalism class at any major university. Too bad.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year ago
"I believe this piece would get a failing grade in any journalism class at any major university."
Tradition is to give the (very generous) benefit of the doubt to the guy who owns the newspaper-- C+
snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year ago
"grammaddy (anonymous) says… It's the economy stooped!!" Don't get all inflamed. Poor incompetent Barry is doing the best he can (which is actually darned awful).
Joseph Jarvis 1 year ago
LJW writes "Aren’t there far more serious issues facing this country, such as the runaway national debt, unemployment and underemployment, immigration, national security, dangerous trouble spots around the globe and this nation’s economy?"
@LJW: Yes, there are a lot of Serious Issues facing this country. But who is the JW to trivilaize discrimination against a minority population? Imagine a newspaper editorial in the 1960s bemoaning the "fuss" over African Americans' civil rights compared to the other important issues of the time. What some don't understand is that for many minorities, getting equal treatment is a prerequisite to tackling the other issues that the majority take for granted as being the only things on the agenda.
Success 1 year ago
Carl Rove launched gay marriage as an issue for the Republican Party and that party has continued to use it as a way to excite and shore up its right wing christian base for quite some time now. The majority of Americans in recent years have developed a more sympathetic orientation and are willing to stand up for the extensions of rights and privileges of marriage to our fellow citizens. I wonder what role, if any, these recent changes play in the LJW Editorial Board's opinion of this issues importance. Perhaps the reasons for the Editorial Board's tacit past acceptance of the Rove strategy on this controversial issue to distract attention from far more serious matters "is unknown".
pizzapete 1 year ago
It's interesting how gay marriage is always brought up as an important social issue every time we have a presidencial election. Why does anyone care what two consenting adults do in their own home? Do we really want Brownback in our bedrooms to reassure us we're doing it right? I don't think people should be afforded more rights or protections by our government just because they're married. I guess that's more of the issue . If we were to do away with the tax breaks and other benefits that come with marriage this wouldn't be an issue.
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