Why is SSM such a big deal?

[Del Tachi]

Unfortunately, this is a textbook example of the left using division and hatred as a political tactic.

The only losers to be made out of the SSM debate are Americans who honestly and ardently believe in the sanctity of traditional marriage.  Now, this isn't to say that opponents of gay marriage have good reasons for their opposition - because, quite frankly, they don't.  However, the narrative that opposition to SSM is rooted in hatred and bigotry of homosexuals is just plain wrong:  if that were the case, we'd be seeing calls for the criminalization of homosexual activity, et cetera.

Rather, the American left is much more comfortable using gay marriage as an issue to drum-up electoral support among the hopelessly young and mindlessly cosmopolitan for an agenda that actually comes at the expense of the working poor, racial relations and the environment.  Such is the problem when a center-left party tries to build a base by appealing to conservatives.

[Del Tachi]

Unfortunately, this is a textbook example of the left using division and hatred as a political tactic.

The only losers to be made out of the SSM debate are Americans who honestly and ardently believe in the sanctity of traditional marriage.  Now, this isn't to say that opponents of gay marriage have good reasons for their opposition - because, quite frankly, they don't.  However, the narrative that opposition to SSM is rooted in hatred and bigotry of homosexuals is just plain wrong: if that were the case, we'd be seeing calls for the criminalization of homosexual activity, et cetera.

Rather, the American left is much more comfortable using gay marriage as an issue to drum-up electoral support among the hopelessly young and mindlessly cosmopolitan for an agenda that actually comes at the expense of the working poor, racial relations and the environment.  Such is the problem when a center-left party tries to build a base by appealing to conservatives.

Hey, remember 2004 when Republicans used calls for the criminialization of homosexual activity as an effort to drum-up electoral support? Good times.

No.  No Republican candidate for federal office was saying that same-sex relations between consenting individuals should be illegal in 2004. 

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I never said that religion "has a right" to infringe on "gay rights". 

I just think its detrimental to public discourse in a society when otherwise good-natured, civil people are made into bigots just because they hold a moral objection to homosexual marriage that is consistent with religious texts and teachings across several centuries, its nothing new-fangled. 

You're still going to have to live with Christians and the Religious Right after SCOTUS strikes-down all statewide-SSM bans this summer, so I would suggest you learn to play nice at least. 

[Del Tachi]

Unfortunately, this is a textbook example of the left using division and hatred as a political tactic.

The only losers to be made out of the SSM debate are Americans who honestly and ardently believe in the sanctity of traditional marriage. Now, this isn't to say that opponents of gay marriage have good reasons for their opposition - because, quite frankly, they don't.  However, the narrative that opposition to SSM is rooted in hatred and bigotry of homosexuals is just plain wrong:  if that were the case, we'd be seeing calls for the criminalization of homosexual activity, et cetera.

Rather, the American left is much more comfortable using gay marriage as an issue to drum-up electoral support among the hopelessly young and mindlessly cosmopolitan for an agenda that actually comes at the expense of the working poor, racial relations and the environment.  Such is the problem when a center-left party tries to build a base by appealing to conservatives.

You can't talk about hatred and intolerance when you want your hatred and intolerance not only tolerated, but enshrined into the law for everyone.  People can't still believe homosexuality is wrong, immoral and that same-sex marriage is evil.  They just don't get the government to abide by their beliefs.

They can take comfort in the fact that marriage is a voluntary act among private citizens so they don't need to get a same-sex marriage unless they want one.

Indeed, in fact "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's".  Marriage in the United States is a civil ceremony, and the Religious Right should take no issue with the redefinition of a non-religious institution, IMO.

However, the crux of my argument is that the current toxicity surrounding the issue is not producing any sort of goodwill and that it would be in the best interests of both sides if we tried not to demonize the opposition.

[Del Tachi]

Unfortunately, this is a textbook example of the left using division and hatred as a political tactic.

The only losers to be made out of the SSM debate are Americans who honestly and ardently believe in the sanctity of traditional marriage.  Now, this isn't to say that opponents of gay marriage have good reasons for their opposition - because, quite frankly, they don't.  However, the narrative that opposition to SSM is rooted in hatred and bigotry of homosexuals is just plain wrong:  if that were the case, we'd be seeing calls for the criminalization of homosexual activity, et cetera.

Rather, the American left is much more comfortable using gay marriage as an issue to drum-up electoral support among the hopelessly young and mindlessly cosmopolitan for an agenda that actually comes at the expense of the working poor, racial relations and the environment.  Such is the problem when a center-left party tries to build a base by appealing to conservatives.

It's 1) hatred or bigotry, 2) based on religious non data based religious dogma, or 3) both. So yes, not all those who oppose SSM are haters or bigots, just adherents to certain religious dogmas. But many of them are. Well I guess a fourth category are those who honestly believe there is a secular case to be made against SSM based on damage to society as a whole, as opposed to animus against gays. Let's call that group the shockingly uninformed, because at this point in the debate, that's what it is.

So, your point?

Historically, there are eugenicist elements within the pro-abortion community in the United States; however, the entirety of the pro-choice movement is not characterized in such a light.

Opposition to SSM =/= Bigotry