[Dean's World] Ron Coleman: Blueprint for bigotry

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Posted by Ron Coleman:
Blueprint for bigotry
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1152284750.shtml


   On the way to work this morning I picked up a New York Post and
   started in on a column by Ryan Sager, whom I almost always like. Boy
   did he lose me this morning. He [1]wrote about what he calls a
   "blueprint for victory" on same-sex marriage. He starts out strong,
   writing:

     In a 4-2 decision, New York state's Court of Appeals made a simple,
     but firm, declaration: "The New York Constitution does not compel
     recognition of marriages between members of the same sex. Whether
     such marriages should be recognized is a question to be addressed
     by the Legislature." Advocates of achieving marriage equality via
     the legislative process (including me) need look no further than
     these opening words to discern victory.

   So far, so good. But then, this:

     A court ruling conjuring same-sex marriage into existence in New
     York would have meant nothing but trouble - providing one more
     fig-leaf for those who dress up their bigotry toward gays as
     outrage at an activist judiciary. Now, the political process can
     proceed without such charades.

   Ohhh, I get it. Any person who disagrees with Ryan Sager about the
   advisability of same-sex marriage is a "bigot." Anyone who claims to
   be concerned about judges unilaterally imposing their social vision on
   a democratic society is "dressing up" his real reason: Hatred!!

   It's a style of argument we've heard before. It first became the
   standard left-wing view regarding the topic of abortion: You may not
   disagree with the provision of unlimited abortion rights and be a
   moral person. If you do, you "hate women" and "want to keep them
   subordinate" (actually the quasi-literate but more common formulation
   is "want to keep them down"). You're a "hater," not a reasonable
   person with an opinion on a controversial matter.

   Sorry. All you do with that style of argument is demonstrate you are
   not interested in a discussion; that you -- how shall I say it? lack
   toleration for the view of others; that you do precisely what you
   always accuse your enemies of, namely claiming a monopoly on morality.
   Why Sager departs from his usual intellectual rigor on this issue, I
   don't know. I do know that on a million other issues, Sager would
   condemn advocates who demonize those they disagree with. But here he
   can't conceive of a principled person disagreeing with him about
   judicial activism or about the advisability of same-sex marriage.
   Failing to adopt Ryan Sager's views on these controversial topics, on
   which reasonable people will and do disagree, makes me a bigot? Far
   from it. I won't tell you about "some of my best friends," but I will
   tell you who the bigot is here: Ryan Sager.

References

   1. http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/n_y__gay_marriage_ruling__opedcolumnists_ryan_sager.htm