CA Supreme Court Overturns Gay Marriage Ban
by Augur • May 15th, 2008 at 11:52 am •
Gotta bill hours, but here’s a thread to discuss today’s big news. I’m ashamed of this, but I’m torn. I’m completely supportive of gay rights, but part of me wishes this could have waited until after the election. I intend to post at some point on how the gay rights movement has botched this cause from the beginning, in a discussion of “pragmatic progressivism.”
Comment by Buck B. on 15 May 2008 at 12:10 pm:
The right to marry is now available to gays and lesbians in the seventh-largest economy (and legal system) on earth.
Please explain how achieving your main objective in a few short years can be considered “botched”
Comment by Augur on 15 May 2008 at 12:40 pm:
I only have a minute, but I’m not talking about their progress in the last say 5 years, I’m talking about the last, say 30 years.
I prefer pragmatic progressivism - trying to win the fights that are winnable, picking the strong arguments rooted in common sense, rather than taking the hard line ideological stands at the expense of incremental results.
For the past 30 years, the movement could have used a stronger message. Sure, there has been social progress, and today’s victory is a big one, but this win could have been brought about more quickly, and with broader support, and possibly national recognition, with a different message and approach.
Had the movement focused their message entirely upon having equal rights under the law: inherentence rights, hospital visitation rights, insurance benefits, etc. It would have made a bigger difference in the lives of people (over the last 30 years) while advancing the speed of social tolerance. If you define the issue as, should our laws discriminate against these people or not, instead of “can we get married in a church” then reasonable people of good faith and good will at least stand down, if not support extending equal rights to all people. Instead, the gay marriage message has freaked out mainstream america which has hindered the movement (and elected W in 2004).
Had the message been rooted in equality under the law, in terms of tangible rights, from the beginning. The movement would have progressed faster and further.
Comment by tet on 15 May 2008 at 1:36 pm:
“Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”–Karl Hess, in one of the speeches he wrote for Barry Goldwater.
Pragmatic progressivism allows the status quo to retrench.
Tom
Comment by Augur on 15 May 2008 at 1:51 pm:
not if you’re always pushing back, one step at a time. progress often comes incrementally