http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-gay-marriage-20120304,0,1129155.story
Gay marriage proponents have finally found their hooks, the things they need to do to convince people to legalise gay marriage.
and the whole thing sickens me - I know the emotional manipulation is needed - you can't reason someone out of an opinion they only hold for emotional reasons. But it's just incredibly depressing. Because you know the groups that DON'T have this sort of massive support are going to continue getting screwed over by these folks - that the sudden tolerance towards gay folks doesn't actually have any carry-over.
It comes down to "people we like enough get rights", and that's basically it. And while its wonderful that gay marriage is finally becoming a thing... bleh.
I think the tolerance, dare I say respect comes after the empathy. It's tactically advantageous and logically consistent against and to counter their arguments. If the purpose of marriage is procreation and gays can't procreate, then marriage makes no sense for gays, who cannot procreate (without getting creative). Conversely, the marriage is about love and family rather than just procreation, then logically gays can get marriage if they are in love and want family, which ....
There are numerous arguments against marriage as procreation driven. First, old people, specifically women, biologically can't procreate after a certain age. Second, some people just can't have kids (infertility). Third, sometimes, due to the risk of birth defects, it's better if a couple doesn't have kids and they chose not to. Fourth, sometimes people don't have kids at all or for years by choice. Fifth, family means more than procreation or even blood relation as evidenced by step-relations, adoption, etc.
Purpose, the why, is everything. Yeah, people should just get over it and bugger off if they don't like gays, but who are we kidding, that's not happening. I'd settle for a step in the right directions.