Bill Keller on Marriage Equality: Conservatives Face a "Fast Moving Tide"

[William769]

Rachel Maddow says a story in the New York Times Magazine this weekend is exactly what the country needs to start a debate about whether marriage equality is on its way to becoming law nationally.

Maddow interviewed Bill Keller, the story's author and former executive editor for the Times, about the speed with which approval for marriage equality is growing.

Keller points out that within the last six months, national polls began consistently showing majority support for same-sex marriage. He notes that experts once predicted gains of about 1 point or so each year, "but it's already three or four percent a year. It's changing at a very rapid rate."

http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Bill_Keller_on_Marriage_Equality_Conservatives_Face_a_Fast_Moving_Tide/

[Swede Atlanta]

1. While I support the march toward Marriage Equality, the priority needs to be on.....

ensuring that no one in this country is denied access to housing or a job because of their sexual orientation or identity. I think the LGBT community has wrongly prioritized marriage as the end all and be all. Let's focus on the basics - a roof over your head and a job.

Why has it been so difficult to pass ENDA? I can understand the Reich wingers objections to marriage equality based on a flawed reading of Scripture but come on, nondiscrimination in housing and employment? This should be a no-brainer.

[William769]

3. Both of them should be a no brainer

Unfortunately there are people in our own party that don't think so don't just blame it on the "Reich wingers".

And no the march toward Marriage Equality is not a "as the end all and be all", it is only one of the battles we are fighting. It just happens to be the one that has momentum with 1st class citizens.

[LonePirate]

4. Why can't we endeavor to do both?

I personally think once the marriage domino falls, the job and housing one will fall soon after. If the job and housing domino falls first, marriage will not necessarily be falling anytime soon after it.

[Vanje]

5. access to housing, job , and MARRIAGE, regardless of orientation...

or, in otherwords , equality. Full equality.
Anything less is NOT equal rights.

[David__77]

6. It pisses me off that Democrats failed to pass ENDA.

It is, apparently, one of those things Democrats move on when the votes are lacking. We had the votes to pass this for two whole years, and no one moved it from committee.

[MNBrewer]

8. Maybe if there were a Federal Employment Discrimination Act

which placed homosexual citizens outside of Federal recognition for being employed, or states with Constitutional Amendments that declared that no homosexual shall be employed in the state, THEN the Passage of ENDA would be of all importance.

[rgbecker]

2. Holder and Obama not enforcing DOMA is the biggest step in the right direction.

Soon enough, gay married will be filing joint tax returns.

[marginlized]

7. It’s not a zero sum game.

Any issue that keeps our goal - full equality - in the public discussion makes it easier to achieve all other aspects of our full equality.

So rejoice when ever you see movement in the right direction.

… and Bill Keller’s a doll.