gay_marriage_vows_784029_s

Earlier this week I posted on this site and said on the air at KFXK Fox 51 words to the effect that with the Supreme Court having just punted on same-sex marriage, we on the right would do well to accept defeat on this issue and move on.

I stand by that regrettable belief but boy, a lot of you folks are upset. Here is just one example.

In comments on my Tuesday post at YouTell MeTexas.com Maxwell said,

“I’m glad social conservatives didn’t capitulate and have fought back on the “wedge issue” of abortion which the high court supposedly “settled”. Pro-life is now a majority position and states are passing reasonable science-based restrictions. Maybe you should consider becoming a democrat? [sic]”

Oh, c’mon Maxwell. Washington’s retreat from the Battle of Long Island didn’t make him a Redcoat. He went on to win the war. And if you think I, of all people, bear any resemblance to a Democrat, you haven’t been paying attention.

Besides, you make my point even though you didn’t mean to. Pro-life leads pro-choice – 48 percent vs. 45 percent according to Gallup. But that’s a narrow edge and it’s a plurality not a majority.

Same-sex marriage, however, has a solid majority in most polls. Gallup has it at 55 percent – with a trend line that is headed upward.

As of this writing, same-sex marriage is now legal in something like 34 states. Yes, it’s true that such is largely the result of actions taken by courts rather than legislatures or voters. But if the polls are to be believed, same-sex marriage could pass on a ballot or in a state legislature today in places where it wouldn’t have been possible even five years ago.

Let me say again: I oppose same-sex marriage. I have been rather eloquent on the subject (if I do say so). Here’s part of what I said in May 2012:

“What the unique institution of marriage does is instill a cultural force that encourages adults to arrange their lives so that as many children as possible are raised under the nurturing and protection of a committed relationship between parents that share the same roof.

“…my opposition to gay marriage is not the product of bigotry and homophobia. My opposition derives from my un-provable yet palpable fear that redefining marriage would constitute an irrevocable diminishment of what’s left of the last bulwark against the rampant societal chaos that will only get worse when marriage and child rearing are at last fully and finally disassociated.”

Yet for all that turn of phrase we nevertheless lost this one. I’m not happy about it. I think it’s a defeat that the country will come to regret.

But further litigation of same-sex marriage right now takes up precious bandwidth that could be used on issues we can still win.

And win we must this time, Maxwell, and it will take more than just our base to do it.

Lose again, and we get us another President Clinton.