The Anatomy of an Anti-Gay Conservative

On November 2nd, 11 out of 11 states voted overwhelmingly against allowing equal rights to gays and lesbians. As an American and on a personal level I find this to be deeply disturbing. In our great history we have battled over issues ranging from slavery, segregation, a woman's right to vote, interracial marriage and so much more. Yet here we are again stuck in the same mentality only this time it is a bit in reverse. Never in history have we attempted to amend our constitution to restrict equal rights for Americans. I'm no scholar and I'm not the brightest guy on the block but I pride myself on common sense and a curiosity about the world around me. Why are parts of our country so passionate about the issue of gay rights? How does it affect their world? How does it lessen our society? I've been searching for these answers and trying to understand the origin on this resistance to change in our country. It is not hard to start at religion to look for some explanations.

The impact of Christianity on the modern world is the spreading of the belief that the universe is pre-determined, mechanical, and devoid of consciousness. Religion often suggests that without Biblical teachings, mankind is inherently evil or savage in nature. But in looking at our history there are many shining examples of peaceful cultures that were tolerant and respectful to all forms of God. It is the limited belief in a singular supremacy and only one face of God that has resulted in tyranny, brutality and discrimination. This limited belief is horribly resistant to change. This is why there has been such an incredible marriage between Christians and Conservatives. The principle is much the same within the groups - a resistance to change combined with a need to promote a single belief system into the lives of others, not just in our country but also around the world. To be resistant to change, to believe that we must all live our lives according to the teaching of one book, is to deny the evolution of our species.

I recently had a conversation (under my screen name RocketPunch) with a proclaimed Christian Conservative Republican on the conservative blog tuckereskew.com. I am posting a portion of the conversation here for study. I found this conversation to be a textbook example how many Bush supporting conservatives think on the subject. Notice the resistance to facts or any logical line of reasoning. Any opposing point of view is labeled as "liberal" as if the word is something dirty that we should all be ashamed of. To a conservative, a "liberal" point of view is invalid not because it lacks any facts, but simply because they believe it is liberal. This demonizing of opposition (most visible in the 2004 Election) is, in my opinions, one of the biggest dangers to the evolution of our culture. Facts are no longer facts. Opinions have become the new facts of this generation regardless of the depth of the opinion. A conservative often loosely sites statistics that have no basis in reality and usually ignores any request to clarify or show proof of their statements. They become flustered at a request for proof or clarification and will often result to some basic attack (If you don’t like it then leave!) or bigoted statement. You have to wonder, what has happened to the true spirit of our nation? What steps must we take to break down the walls of our social dysfunction?

RocketPunch, There are so many social problems that gay marriage would bring on. I don't even know where to start. Like i have always said, If the gays don't like it here move to Canada and live happily ever after....Please

Posted by: GWB-2004 | November 6, 2004 12:56 PM
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GWB-2004 - Give me a list of the social problems. Give me one, if you can.

Posted by: RocketPunch | November 6, 2004 08:38 PM
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Rocket, Some of the social issues that gay marriage would affect are once you open the door to gay marriage the next thing people will push is men having multiple wives, brother and sister wanting to get married, All of the adoption rules would have to change because most adoption places will not allow a gay couple to adopt a child, There are profound efects on a child if they are motherless in a relationship. Type it into google and there are millions of articles on it.

Posted by: GWB-2004 | November 7, 2004 05:15 AM
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GWB-2004 - Your social effects are without merit or study. The difference is - multiple wives, however rare, is a choice. Incestuous relationship, however rare, causes physical harm. There is no comparison between the few dozen cases of these issues in our society versus the countless millions of gay and lesbian couples. As for single parents and adoption, please don't be so foolish.

There are 2.5 million (and growing) people divorces each year.

Children under 18 years of age living with just one parent: 20 million (28%)

It is estimated that there are 500,000 children in foster care nationally, and 100,000 need to be adopted. But last year there were qualified adoptive parents available for only 20,000 of these children. These 20,000 children have neither a mother OR father. And you want to restrict gay people from adopting children? Can you give me any study or proof that shows that a child is better raised by a straight parent or couple over a gay parent or couple? Good parenting is not influenced by sexual orientation. Rather, it is influenced most profoundly by a parent's ability to create a loving and nurturing home -- an ability that does not depend on whether a parent is gay or straight. As someone raised by a gay parent, I would have to strongly disagree with your belief that my childhood was lacking because of the sexual orientation of my mother.

Posted by: RocketPunch | November 7, 2004 06:35 AM
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I mistyped an important statistic in an earlier post.

There are 80,000 CHILDREN LEFT IN FOSTER CARE each year due to a lack of unqualified parents. I might also add that there is significant evidence documenting the serious damage suffered by children without permanent homes who are placed in substandard foster homes. Children frequently become victims of the "foster care shuffle," in which they are moved from temporary home to temporary home. A child stuck in permanent foster care can live in 20 or more homes by the time he/she reaches 18. It is not surprising, therefore, that long-term foster care is associated with increased emotional problems, delinquency, substance abuse and academic problems.

Posted by: RocketPunch | November 7, 2004 06:42 AM
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Rocket, See you are a typical liberal. Always want to argue. I am not going to put the time or effort into proving you wrong. I am a social worker and I see patients all the time that are suffering from this situation of a motherless or fatherless household. Look up the information yourself. All you like to do is have someone prove a point and then you argue it. By the way haveing more than one wife or husband in the US is not legal. This country is not willing to make gay marriage even an issue. Look at Oregon, It is a highly gay populated state and even they shot it down. Give up the fight you will not win this one. You will go down a big loser Like your man Kerry did.

Posted by: GWB-2004 | November 7, 2004 06:40 AM
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GWB-2004 - And you are a typical Bush supporter unwilling to acknowledge facts or provide any of your own. You are also lacking in your humanity because you would deny a child a loving home because of your bigotry. This isn't an argument for my ego. This is an argument for the 80,000 children who are left without anyone to guide them in life. This is an argument against a social mentality that denies equal rights because of sexual orientation. Ban abortion, continue to fund only abstinence based programs and you will see those 80,000 parentless children each year skyrocket to levels I don't even want to imagine.

I am proud to be a liberal because I don't want to be anything like you. In my support for John Kerry I might be the loser but you, truly, are the one who is lost.

Posted by: RocketPunch | November 7, 2004 06:55 AM
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The second happiest day in my life will be when Bush bans Gay marriage, and also denies gay couples insurance rights, and hospital visitation. Carl rove made it very clear that it will happen in this term. The first happiest day of my life was when Bush Kicked Kerry's butt in the election.

Posted by: GWB-2004 | November 7, 2004 11:19 AM
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end.



FINAL NOTE: This post is not meant to insult the conservative movement. The core of a conservative believing in small government and fiscal responsibility is admirable. However, for every 10 conversations I have with a Bush supporter only 1 is with a true conservative filled with valid points and substantial knowledge. To that point, I don't believe Bush is a true conservative and the conservative movement as it is forming today will only stand to hurt the Republican party. But that is another subject. :)