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‘Hate and Fear’ Dominate Opponents of Gay Marriage (News, Switzerland)

“They have no trouble attributing characteristics to them (insatiable sexual appetites, lifestyles marked by instability, amoral behavior) like those that were long used to denigrate relationships between White women and Black men. This shows from which direction this particular wind is blowing: from the camp of those who fear and hate anything different.”

By Patrik Etschmayer

Translated By Stephanie Martin

May 14, 2012

News – Switzerland – Original Article (German)

Last week, President Barack Obama took everyone by surprise by giving up his hesitant position and declaring that he supported allowing same-sex marriage. The reactions were not long in coming.

Almost satirical was the reaction of Bristol Palin, daughter of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, whose intelligence also regularly attracts attention … negative attention, that is. Obama had explained in his interview how his daughters Sasha and Malia had opened his eyes as they had friends who were being raised by same-sex couples. The girls considered this to be completely normal and didn't understand why these people should be treated any differently from "normal" parents.

Bristol Palin apparently had this to say (because she apparently doesn't know when to keep quiet) on the subject: "While it's great to listen to your kids' ideas, there's also a time when dads simply need to be dads. In this case, it would've been helpful for him to explain to Malia and Sasha that while her friends' parents are no doubt lovely people, that is not a reason to change thousands of years of thinking about marriage. Or that, as great as her friends may be, we know that in general kids do better growing up in a mother/father household. Ideally, fathers help shape their kids' worldview." 

To capture the true irony of the situation, it is helpful to know that Bristol Palin is the daughter of an ultra-religious mother, that she promotes sexual abstinence for teens, and that she herself gave birth at the age of 18 to an "out-of-wedlock" son who she’s raising by herself because she and the father of the child are engaged in an ongoing legal dispute. Sure … that is certainly much better than the model this bigoted hypocrite is so vociferously attacking.

Posted by Worldmeets.US

But the Palins (including their mother) are just minor figures in U.S. politics, even if their opinions accurately reflect the nonsense that is now being fired at Obama from the right. Mitt Romney, the Mormon Republican presidential candidate, said during a speech at the evangelical Liberty University in Lynchburg, that marriage is defined as the union of “one man and one woman.” This is delightful to hear from a man who has among his ancestors various bigamists - no surprise, considering that bigamy is a feature of Mormonism - whose bigamy even caused them to flee to Mexico.

And then of course there are all the other bigots and hypocrites (which we have here as well when this issue comes up) who talk about a "sacred institution," the "welfare of the child," and all the other things that they couldn't care less about when they aren't using them as a club against people with a "different" lifestyle. And when these arguments aren't enough, there's always the one about "civil unions" and why that isn't enough.

Could it be perhaps, that is because they [civil unions] are discriminatory? If we tested the argument with a counter example and said that Catholics (or whatever religion you'd like to insert) would no longer be awarded doctorates at universities but only "registered certificates of completion," would that be discriminatory? Not according to advocates of civil unions. Because it's the same thing, just under a different name. So why not do that!

The whole discussion is completely, absolutely absurd. The religious line of argument should be tossed into the trash anyway. Otherwise Christians would have to protest lobster restaurants and kill teenagers who yell at them during a dispute. The Bronze Age justice of nomadic tribes lost its relevance long ago.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, there is the father/mother argument. At a time when the children of normal parents have just over a 50 percent chance of not being used as cannon fodder by moms and dads, it might be supposed that a peaceful household with same-sex parents would be preferable. Not that this would guarantee peace, but the gender of the parents isn't relevant if they love each other and their children.

SEE ALSO ON THIS:
Carta Capital, Brazil: Brazil Politicians Pale Compared to ‘Courageous’ Obama
El Universo, Ecuador: Gay Marriage in Ecuador? Let Us Hope Not!
leJDD, France: Gay Marriage: Obama Puts His Finger to Political Wind
Causeur, France: Gays in the Military? … The Greeks Had it Right
Franve TV, France: Is France Behind America on Same-Sex Marriage?
NU, The Netherlands: Marriage in America: ‘Man, Woman and God’
Guardian, U.K.: How Obama's Gay Marriage Move Changes Presidential Race
CenarioMT, Brazil: Gay Marriage: 70 Years from Disease to Presidential Blessing
The Zimbabwe Mail, Zimbabwe: Obama's Gay Stance ‘Worst Form of Satanism’
La Informacion, U.S.: In Latin America, Only Argentine Leader Stands with Obama
Liberation, France: Mr. Obama and Gay Marriage: ‘Courage’
Mail & Guardian, South Africa: South Africa: Pride, Vigilance, on Gay Rights
Globa & Mail, Canada: From Obama, a Bid to Broaden Stream of American Life
Toronto Star, Canada: Obama Tilts Scales Toward Compassion and Equity
Macleans, Canada: Obama Passes the Leadership Test
Irish Times, Ireland Mr. Obama's 'Brave and Welcome' Move
Irish Examiner, Ireland: Let's Be Honest About How We Live Our Lives
Independent, U.K.: 'Full Marks' to President Barack Obama
Independent, U.K.: At last, Obama Asks U.S. to Open Door to Acceptance
Guardian, U.K. Obama's Historic Affirmation of Gay Marriage
Economist, U.K.: Good for Obama; But Bad for Gay Marriage
Telegraph, U.K.: Import of U.S. Culture War Backfires on Cameron

Many commentators (like a columnist who wrote on the subject some time ago for Weltwoche, which has by now sunk to the level of FOX News) aren't personally acquainted with any same-sex couples. Yet they have no trouble attributing characteristics to them (insatiable sexual appetites, lifestyles marked by instability, amoral behavior) like those that were long used to denigrate relationships between White women and Black men. This shows from which direction this particular wind is blowing: from the camp of those who fear and hate anything different.  

So individuals who don't want to find themselves on the side of barbaric mass murderer Robert Mugabe, whose supporters just called Obama's statement the "worst form of Satanism," should at least examine their motives and reflect on what really bothers them about the possibility of people being happier without hurting anyone.