Edwards: Marriage Coming, Just Not Yet

I saw a bit of an interview with John Edwards and his wife the other day; I don't remember now which network it was on---probably CNN. I came upon it just as a discussion of same-sex marriage was coming to an end. Mrs. Edwards was explaining, as I understood it, that one of their teenage children had canvassed other kids of senators and congressmen, both Republicans and Democrats. And virtually every one of those kids thought same-sex marriage would be a non-issue once they were adults (non-issue as in non-controversial and accepted). An issue, both Edwards seemed to agree, that was going to resolve itself on a generational basis. But John Edwards says he is "not there yet."

Not there yet.

I don't see how anyone advocating same-sex marriage could get elected president--yet. So it's fine with me that he's taking the position he is, which is that acceptance of same-sex marriage is self-evidently something coming, but the country, like himself, isn't quite ready for it.

I do think he's right--it's much more a generational issue than a political-party issue. Especially now that the Republican party is splintering, with conservative evangelicals losing their stranglehold and moderates becoming more assertive.

Many Young Republicans at DePauw are in favor of same-sex marriage. And I see an increasing number of straight young evangelical Christians for whom sexual orientation is no big deal. As they know more and more openly LGBTQ people, the fact that some people are naturally, intrinsically attracted to the same sex is something they are comfortable with. LGBTQ people are no longer the other; they are part of us. So being personally accepting of, and comfortable with, their same-sex attracted peers is becoming the default mode. And the same thing happens with same-sex relationships.