a scant majority of Californians can't accept that they live in a secular democracy
I think you have this completely backward. It is the pro-gay marriage side that refuses to believe in democracy. I suspect that there are plenty of people who were offended that some judges chose to override the democratically-expressed will of the people based on heretofore unknown penumbras in the Constitution to impose gay marriage.
That, in fact, was a major explicit thrust in the pro-8 campaign, and it was implicit in the "scare tactics" arguments like "judges will order all churches to perform gay marriage." Based on the judicial track record, why wouldn't a reasonable person believe that could very well happen?
If the pro-marriage side had had enough faith in the people to put up a straight-up (so to speak) "yes on gay marriage" amendment, it quite probably could have picked up the few extra percent needed to win, at least in California.
They didn't because politicians like Barack Obama want to have it both ways, mollifying gay marriage opponents while winking at supporters.
*And to preempt the "we shouldn't have to vote on rights" argument, marriage is not and never was a right. Civil marriage is a privilege granted by the state which regulates how it may and may not be used.
no subject
I think you have this completely backward. It is the pro-gay marriage side that refuses to believe in democracy. I suspect that there are plenty of people who were offended that some judges chose to override the democratically-expressed will of the people based on heretofore unknown penumbras in the Constitution to impose gay marriage.
That, in fact, was a major explicit thrust in the pro-8 campaign, and it was implicit in the "scare tactics" arguments like "judges will order all churches to perform gay marriage." Based on the judicial track record, why wouldn't a reasonable person believe that could very well happen?
If the pro-marriage side had had enough faith in the people to put up a straight-up (so to speak) "yes on gay marriage" amendment, it quite probably could have picked up the few extra percent needed to win, at least in California.
They didn't because politicians like Barack Obama want to have it both ways, mollifying gay marriage opponents while winking at supporters.
*And to preempt the "we shouldn't have to vote on rights" argument, marriage is not and never was a right. Civil marriage is a privilege granted by the state which regulates how it may and may not be used.