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01/26/2009
Poll: Majority of our opponents have stopped listening altogether
And now in disturbingly closed-off marriage views news: A newly released survey suggests that more than 70% of those Californians who voted for the nasty and discriminatory Prop 8 wouldn't have changed their votes, no matter what we in the pro-equality camp said or did. This from Desert Sun:
“When you see 73 percent saying nothing is going to change their mind, this is a solid block of voters against same-sex marriage,” said David Binder, author of the report commissioned by Equality California.
...
About 73 percent of yes voters said nothing would change their votes — a statistic that might prove a challenge for those who support same-sex marriage.
“Because very few people seem very reluctant to change their vote, the focus needs to be on the youth,” said Jim Carroll, managing director for Equality California Institute.
Survey: No swaying most supporters [Desert Sun]
Now to be fair, the vast majority of the LGBT community wouldn't consider changing their votes either. But the difference? We already graduated from equality college, and are no longer in need of growth on this easily solvable matter. It's like when you were a kid and learning your times tables. Once you'd mastered the twos and threes, you had acquired that skill for life and were free to move on to bigger and better problems. The same goes for the equality struggle, with "tax-paying gay citizens do deserve the same basic fairness as their hetero counterparts" the irrefutably correct answer for anyone who considers LGBT people to be part of society's equation!
So what are we going to do to move those who refuse to even listen? We're going to speak even more loudly and continually, fairly but firmly presenting our opposition's closed minds as exactly what they are: Stubborn bouts of self-centered aggression that are counterproductive to our growth as a fair-minded nation. And in time, we're convinced that more and more people in this nation of listeners will side with what's truly right, not what is far-right.
Your thoughts
If 73% won't change, then that means there's 27% that we can change. The margin was so narrow, that combined with the new generation of voters, it could be enough to make up the difference.
Posted by: RainbowPhoenix | Jan 26, 2009 11:31:44 AM
That's a nice "glass half full" outlook, RP :-)
Posted by: G-A-Y | Jan 26, 2009 11:38:26 AM
There's nothing we can do with these people. They're like the racist old grandparents, some of them try not to offend most of the time, but it's just too late for them to change. I just follow what Harvey Milk said, if the younger generation knows that they know a queer they realize that we're talking about PEOPLE.
I'm in the unique position of teaching lab in Computer Science in Laramie, WY and you better believe that I'm out. In batches of 20 the younger generation of Wyoming is learning: Gays are people; Gay men can be successful computer programmers; how to program C++.
Posted by: Kearne | Jan 26, 2009 12:03:53 PM
We've graduated from equality college? Give me a break. What about how we treat our less attractive brothers. Or each other, for that matter. Try looking through a dictionary of gay slang for the many heartless labels we've so charmingly invented.
But the community shoot themselves in the foot at every opportinity. I'm expecting that if they ever start winning the marraige fight, which I think is a strategic mistake, a week before the vote, in time for attack ads from the other side, the mass of queers will insist that marraige includes the right of naked sex weddings to be broadcast nationwide on CSPAN.
Posted by: Wilberforce | Jan 26, 2009 12:13:05 PM
"What about how we treat our less attractive brothers. Or each other, for that matter."
Wilberforce: You can bring in a whole slew of side issues with any fight or any group. But these matters of social interaction are wholly separate from the fight for marriage equality, which involves only the law and what's right.
And I also think it's unfair to suggest that these behaviors are definitive of our movement.
Posted by: G-A-Y | Jan 26, 2009 12:22:15 PM
Stubborn bouts of self-centered aggression that are counterproductive to our growth as a fair-minded nation.
LOVE IT! will use it!
PS: Re Treating brothers etc...YOU DID SEE THE Mike Jones Video RIGHT?
youtube.com/watch?v=Vapt8xp1IhA
Posted by: LOrion | Jan 26, 2009 2:59:22 PM
I'm sorry. I should stop speaking in mainstream gay space. I'm in another Universe.
But you were the one who claimed that we're so enlightened.
And for the record, these behaviours may not be definitive, but they're a large part of our culture. Deny it if you like. It's never been the right time to look honestly at ourselves. And keep ignoring what we've been doing to each other for the last 25 years.
Posted by: Wilberforce | Jan 26, 2009 3:11:15 PM
Wilberforce: What? Why the hostility? I was just meaning to say that these issues like lookism, while not invalid, don't come across to me a direct factors in the judicial/legislative/democratic battle for marriage equality (which is what this post is addressing). I was simply responding to your thoughts in this, a discussion forum -- why the "I should stop speaking in mainstream gay space" negativity?
Posted by: G-A-Y | Jan 26, 2009 3:44:03 PM
Again, it goes back 30 years, being yelled out of queer discussion groups for bucking popular opinion. You're right. I apologize.
Posted by: Wilberforce | Jan 26, 2009 7:56:39 PM
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