Via Andrew Sullivan: A new study finds that the crucial swing group who decided to vote for Prop 8 wasn’t African Americans; it was composed mainly of white parents of young children. Their fear, stoked by TV ads? That their kids would come home from school having learned that they could marry a person of the same sex.
And now Prop 8 has been struck down. The Bear (aged 10 1/2, with occasional excursions to toddlerhood and middle age) already regards marriage equality as a no-brainer. The Tiger, at 7, was less clear on the issue. We talked about it in the airport right as the news of Judge Walker’s verdict hit CNN. His main concern: could he have another piece of candy?
The Prop 8 legacy thus led directly to the Tiger learning that boys will be allowed to marry boys.
I would like to thank the Mormon Church, all the other major Prop 8 donors, Maggie Gallagher, and NOM for underwriting one of my better moments in parenting.
Update 2:30 p.m., 8/7/10: In case you were wondering what that fear campaign looked like, in fall 2008 I posted on an ad that warned about schools teaching kids that a princess can marry a princess.
Patron cat of Kittywampus (1985-2001)
I find it completely incomprehensible that somebody would be frightened by the idea of their child knowing something. What’s going on?
Me too. I just added a link to the post, in case you didn’t see the ads at the time. They were pure fearmongering, preying on parents’ fears that their children can be “turned gay.” As if that would be so terrible! I don’t get it, either.