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Eight Lessons from Missouri Minor Details |
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There's no way to soften this. This is no time to go into denial. The message was painfully clear: US voters will, without a doubt, enshrine discrimination against gay people in their foundational documents. They'll do it by an overwhelming margin and feel proud and downright god-like for doing so. Some may think this is a Missouri or middle-of-America thing. It's not. People who believe that aren't paying attention to the American majority. Put to a vote in any state, same-sex marriage will probably be rejected, even overwhelmingly. Nationally, it would be the same. The Missouri win has emboldened anti-gay forces around the country. There were some LGBT politicos who thought it would be close. They were hopeful, but out-of-touch. Now, they find it hard to face the fact that people would do this to anyone in this century. Our nation isn't ready for this issue. Both major Presidential candidates reject gay marriage, supporting similar amendments, Bush at the federal level and Kerry at the state. No senator in the debate over the Federal Marriage Amendment spoke publicly of their support for same-sex marriage. Those against the amendment argued instead of not enshrining the ban in the Constitution. Courts and politicians might save some states and the nation from such referenda. After the recent California Supreme Court decision nullifying the over 4,000 same-sex marriages in San Francisco, even there we're not sure. There are, however, a number of certainties. The right-wing will be back no matter how often it loses a battle. At this time in history, likely voters aren't on our side. This is the wrong issue and the wrong time to expect better. Neither the voters nor LGBT people are ready to tackle this. A major flaw of popular democracy is that "tyranny of the majority." If the majority supports any issue, no matter how awful, it can pass. Adolph Hitler, remember, was popularly elected Chancellor of Germany. So, what can we learn from Missouri? First, LGBT organizations fought hard, probably the best fight they knew on this last-minute issue. It's not that enough effort wasn't put into it. We could argue for more, but at this time, effort's not going to do the trick. Yard signs, phone calls, media ads, outside money, intelligent slogans, and the historically poor turn-out of progressives and gays at elections are no match for the grassroots, get-out-the-vote, scare tactics of fundamentalist churches and others who believe their talk of the fall of civilization, the silly idea that there are millennia of tradition of blissful, one man-one woman marriages, and their Bible-thumping. Second, money from national organizations didn't put LGBT issues over the top. The reports that more than $300,000 of outside money was spent against the amendment and less than $10,000 by its supporters, are being spun as the victory of Missouri's own little, home-grown David against the Goliath of outside, drooling-with-money, gay advocacy organizations. Giving to local and state-based organizations for the on-going, grassroots advocacy by those who know local causes is more effective when fighting in our own backyards, but less up-scale. National organizations have more glitz and larger budgets to appeal to big givers. Third this is a steep, uphill fight that's more intense and long-term than flash-in-the-pan electoral politics that focus on one issue or ballot measure. The right-wing understands that. It began its push toward dominance in 1964 with the mailing list of losing presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. Fourth, to prepare us for this issue we need more than the tactics of responding defensively to the initiatives of the right-wing and more than expecting people to be convinced by rational argument, pleas for common sense equality, or guilt over the US being out of touch with the rest of the world. It's a long-term, much slower, less glitzy strategy of broader education that has really just begun. It's supporting programs that educate about homophobia, LGBT people, and discrimination everywhere, not just in progressive areas. People out there are waiting to learn from someone who cares to come to them. It's, fifth, a return to our gay agenda so the right must respond. That means a refocus on, and additional support for, the tough, on-going work of state and local lobbying organizations. It means backing issues that are more important than, and will prepare for, same-sex marriage acceptance. First, every government body should add sexual orientation and gender identity to its list of non-discrimination categories. In the long run and after one loss after another, our persistence and the right-wing's need to repeatedly respond to the fact that we keep coming back, will change voters and move us closer to the end of this anti-gay-marriage momentum. Focusing further on gay marriage won't. It's, sixth, demanding more of candidates we support, not begging for the crumbs of minimal recognition. Candidates must embrace our issues and not expect to receive support if they don't vote for them. This means rejecting endorsement of a candidate who is our least awful alternative. We can vote for the lesser of two evils, but that doesn't mean they should get our public endorsement. It's, seventh, recognizing the connection of LGBT issues to the issues of others who remain unconvinced that we care about anything beyond our group or that we see the connections of LGBT issues to their experiences. We must champion the fight against sexism, white racism, and economic disparity. It's, eighth, agreeing to never again critique our leaders without first offering them a hand and speaking with them about our concerns. It's starting with a belief in them, assuming the best, to counteract our personal insecurities. It's being thankful that something's being tried, especially if we haven't been a part of the attempt. Long-term change will make the world safe for all LGBT people, and eventually gay marriage. Will we get there soon? I don't know. But as the old Rabbi put it: "If you have a dream that can be fulfilled in one lifetime, it's too small." 
Robert N. Minor, Ph.D., is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas. His Gay & Healthy in a Sick Society (HumanityWorks, 2003), was named one of the "Best Gay Books of 2003" and a Finalist for the 2004 Independent Publisher Book Award. He may be reached at www.fairnessproject.org
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On August 3, the voters of Missouri approved by over 70% a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. More Democrats than Republicans voted.