![Obama](http://web.archive.org./web/20121016080503im_/http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb85/sammy-jankis/obama.jpg)
Cop that all you ignorant racist yokels!*
It was nice to see Obama get over the line the other day. I can be a negative nelly when it comes to politics and I always suspect the worst outcome because of some last minute balls-up by my preferred candidate/party. So on this occasion, as with Howard’s demise, I was rather chuffed.
Others were not.
At The Oz, Janet Albrechtsen was rather disappointed with the demolition of the McCain/Pailin duo, but she also saw a silver lining. After the US electorate failed to heed her warning that, if elected, Obama would appoint ‘unelected’ judges to the Supreme Court, she took solace in the fact that several states voted to ban same-sex marriage.
In California, where Obama secured 61percent of the vote, 51per cent of voters supported a ban on gay marriage. Obama’s political sophistry ñ declaring his belief that marriage is between one man and one woman but declaring his opposition to banning same-sex marriage ñ was rejected by the people of California… Elsewhere, voters also banned same-sex marriage last week. In Florida where Obama won 51per cent of the vote, 62 per cent of voters said no to same-sex marriage. In Arizona, – a Republican hold, 56 per cent of voters said the same. In all, more than 40 states have laws or constitutional bans against same-sex marriage.
Sure, maybe lefty elitists control the Whitehouse, Congress, the Judiciary, the media and the schools and universities, but at least the state isn’t recognising the lifelong commitments of gay couples. It’s not all bad.
Janet takes comfort in “the voice of Americans across the nation who voted against a range of orthodox left-liberal positions”. Gay marriage was voted down in California, Arizona and Florida, while Arkansas passed a referendum stopping gay couples from adopting children. But Janet conspicuously avoided mentioning the fact that marijuana for medical use was supported in Michigan, along with the legalisation of stem cell research. Also, Washington State joined Oregon in legalising physician-assisted suicide. ‘Orthodox left-liberal positions’ lost out in some sates, but not in others.
But Janet misses the point, as she has done on numerous occasions in the past when she decides to put pen to paper on these issues. The fact that majorities in these states voted against gay marriage does not mean prohibiting homosexuals from being married is right. For Janet, the gut-feeling of the electorate is the best judge on moral issues. But what will Janet do when the gut-feeling of the electorate changes? What if 51% of Californians voted against Proposition 8 instead of for it? Would she smile politely and say “Very well then”? No. Californians would no longer be wise morally grounded conservatives. They’d be a state of lefty liberal elites, out of touch with the rest of America’s moral masses. That pundits like Albrechtsen rely so heavily on argument ad populum only serves to illustrate how vacuous the case against gay marriage really is.
Meanwhile, Bill Muehlenberg highlights part of Obama’s victory speech as a sign of Western civilizations impending doom:
And his anti-marriage and anti-family views are also a major concern. Just how long before he introduces a whole raft of legislation seeking to grant special rights to homosexuals, including the right to marry? Answer: we have a very good clue in what he told his adoring fans last night. Incredibly, in his acceptance speech it only took about two minutes before he mentioned the issue of homosexuality. I think that must be a world first – certainly an American first.
What got Bill all riled up?
It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.
Gasp! He acknowledges the existence of gay people. We’re clearly fucked. But surely sanity will prevail in the comments…
stephen white 6.11.08 / 7pm
At a time of great financial crisis a nation turns to charismatic, eloquent unkown who preaches a better future for them as a country. USA 2008….Germany 1933….
Stephen White
Bill Muehlenberg 6.11.08 / 7pm
Thanks Stephen
I know my critics think I am far too cynical and over the top already, but I can’t help but thinking that you are clearly on to something here with your interesting observation.
Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch
Hmm.
* Obviously, there were plenty of people who didn’t vote against Obama for reasons other than race. This statement is not directed at them. To them I would merely say “Cop that!”.
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