Conservatives are losing on gay rights

After the Senate's rejection of the Marriage Protection Amendment Wednesday, supporters tried to portray it as nothing more than a temporary setback. "We are making progress," announced Kansas Republican Sam Brownback, noting that since the last vote two years ago, 14 states have approved bans on same-sex marriage.

If this is progress, it's on the order of a shipwreck survivor swimming toward the nearest island, 500 miles away: going in the right direction, but with no chance of getting there. All the leading indicators suggest that the smartest thing the amendment's supporters could do is pack it in.

They are getting no traction in the Senate. In 2004, 48 senators went on the record in support. This time, the number in favor was ... 49. Approving a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote, or 67 out of 100 senators. At the current rate of progress, Tallahassee will be hosting the Winter Olympics before this measure is ratified.

Contrary to the hopes of supporters, last week's vote is about as good as things will get. Brownback seems oblivious to the obvious--which is that when states ban gay marriage, they undermine rather than strengthen the case for the amendment.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-0606110340jun11,1,977219.column?coll=chi-news-col

As Frank Rich suggests, the train is already being steered by the minutemen.

From my perspective, the beauty is that unlike gay bashing, the fighting over non-citizen labor will never gain corporate support.

Poor Kkkarl, all that fresh hate. And he can't use it.

Yeah, in some ways the tide is turning, but in others, not so much. Many states have passed (or are soon to pass) state constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriages, and refusing to recognize same-sex marriages from another state. So while same-sex marriage may just be a matter of time in the bluest of states, and overall, the nation as a whole may be less hostile to the idea -- what about the states that have passed their own amendments?

I'm not sure how that will work. I guess down the road, as the nation becomes more gay-friendly, and as gay-friendly young people get older and turn more to politics, maybe some sort of gay rights will need to be preserved at a federal level, and they will look to make a federal law that overturns the discriminatory amendments some states have already passed? I don't know what would be the easiest way to turn over those state consitutional bans which have already passed, but I wouldn't say they are "losing" quite just yet. In fact, in almost half the states, it seems just the opposite.

racism. And political postions against gay rights are doomed.

We may or may not get to the point where it disappears, but we are fast getting to the point where homosexuality is becoming respectable, or at least acceptable.

Even those fundies out there who claim to believe it's a sin are finding more and more gay kids in their families and neighborhoods and facing the very simple fact that they are real people, not abstract beliefs or doctrines.

Homosexuals in Alabama! Who woulda thunk it? Thought it's something in the water in New York or San Francisco that causes it.

It may be failing on a national level but the repugs are still using it on local ballots for voter turnout. Until all the red states have banned same-sex marriages, this issue is still alive and remain so.