They have repeatedly stated that voters don't want Jill and Jane or Billy and Bob to get married because anytime this issue has come before the voters, it has been defeated. Defeated in the form of constitutional amendments to ban marriage equality. What they don't mention of course is that the voters in nearly any state that has considered this issue have not, without significant outside influence (people and money from outside the state). So much could be said that had the voters of some of these states considered the issue purely as a matter of state concern. the outcome would have been different. This is certainly the case in California when outside money poured into the state, especially from the LDS Church (you know the ones that worship Elohim that lives near the planet Kolob).
They held firm to the belief that voters would never ever sanction gender equality and that the only reason this perversion was an issue was because "activist" judges were making new law.
Many of those states used the gay marriage issue to GOTV in 2004. The republics used it as a wedge issue to get voters to the polls and get them riled up.
What a difference a few years makes. The voters in 3 states have outright voted FOR marriage equality (MA, MD and WA) and in one state they have refused to allow discrimination to be written into the state constitution (MN).
I think there are a number of reasons for this. The republics didn't, as a matter of national debate, push on the issue of marriage equality. As a matter of national policy they didn't push the issue of abortion either. These issues were dealt much more directly in state races.
Secondly I think the fact that marriage equality has been in place for a varying number of years in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York and Iowa. And surprisingly the apocalypse did not materialize. God didn't smite the state with boils or locusts or anything. Heterosexual marriages were no worse or better off than they were before.
DADT was repealed and the services report no discernible impact on morale, recruitment, retention or readiness. Another "McCain" scare tactic that was based on lies.
Further gay and lesbians have been so visible not only on television, films and on Broadway but even in major league sports. Sports figures have come out in favor of marriage equality. A number of major Protestant denominations, especially the Episcopalians have jettisoned policy that prevented a non-celibate LGBT person from serving the church. Employers have come to extend non-discrimination to sexual orientation because they want the very best and most qualified employees.
Families have come to consider having a gay son or lesbian daughter not as a tragedy. LGBT families have become more visible in our communities. And the world hasn't come to an end.
Young people see this as a non issue. My two nephews and their wives (mid to late 20s) don't see what all the fuss is about. They said their marriage is not affected if two men or women can marry. In fact they said they felt that when LGBT couples are denied equality it diminishes everyone.
I think this trend will continue. The issue will ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. Obama's re-election gives us the possibility of at least bringing the court back to center or center-left. That is good for this issue.
But not all is rosy. We still have never passed ENDA or included LGBT in the Fair Housing Act. We still have too many young people being hazed and harassed and, unfortunately, killing themselves. We still have families (and friends) that shun LGBT persons. We still have hatred being spewed from our politicians and religious leaders. We still have companies that hire and fire with sexual orientation as a factor.
But we are marching forward. While many thought the election of BO signaled the arrival of a post-racist America what we of course experienced in the past 4 years and even more during this election cycle is that racism is alive and well. So even if we win the outward facade of equality, we are a long way from achieving true equality.
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