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05/23/2013
Um, actually there *is* a right side of history; obviously
This is just a silly thing to say:
"It’s not accurate to say the times have relegated the defense of marriage to the geriatric ward. And there’s no such thing as being on the “right” or “wrong” side of history. There’s only being on the right or wrong side of truth."
—Ryan Anderson and Andrew Walker, both of the anti-gay Heritage Foundation, writing for Citizen, the magazine of the anti-gay Focus on Family
It's one of those things that anti-LGBT people tell themselves in order to feel good about their work, both here in the now and (especially) in a commemorative future. But it's bogus.
I have my version of truth, which says that the civil laws of this church/state-separated nation must support the freedom of same-sex couples to marry. Anderson and Walker have their version of truth, which positions their personal (and largely faith-based) objections above the rights of taxpayers like me. Whether either of our truths are right on the money, here in the mortal realm or in some eternal future, is one facet of this conversation, perhaps. But in a history that will inevitably play out, there will be one of us who is viewed, by virtue of public support and policy reality, as having been on the right side. That is just a fact—then, now, and always through the relatively short trajectory of this experiment we call America.
We fight out these ideas in a public space, and a winning position prevails. In most cases, the minority population prevails and history records that progress as a really good thing. I am more than confident in how the history books will record my work. Walker and Anderson have every right to disagree, but they mustn't kid themselves—one of us will, in recorded fact, be right.
*UPDATE: And of course the anti-gay National Org. for Marriage loves Anderson and Walker's take:
One of the great lines from their article: "There’s no such thing as being on the “right” or “wrong” side of history. There’s only being on the right or wrong side of truth."
Amen! [NOM Blog]
Because of course they would. When trying to turn a contrived alternate script into reality, the co-writers must stick together.
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