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Drooling on the Pillow

Tuesday, March 02, 2004

I'm Not as (Classically) Liberal as I Think I Am 

Eugene Volokh's post about gay marriage is a tonic to me. While offering his tentative support he allows himself doubts.

As long as gay marriage was one of the proliferating third rails of politics it was easy to stiffle doubts and reservations. Now that it is part of the National Debate, you gotta come down on one side or the other.

Having been in theatre most of my life and lived with, among and, sometimes, on the dime of gay men and women, it's hard to make a case for denying these good people a right that they so desparately want and need and one that won't cost me a bit.

There are a number of reasons to be opposed to gay marriage, but I can't think of any good ones. The FMA scares me a hell of a lot more than Rosie making an honest woman out of what's-her-name. As I go slip-sliding along the ideological pathways I feel myself getting tugged more and more in a libertarian direction. Any more, any reservation in my heart for equal rights in this regard feels like Rock Hudson making love to Doris Day. Not, strickly speaking, honest.

And yet . . . and yet . . . Why do I feel a hesitation? Mr. Volokh's reservations are rational and intelligent. I suspect mine are just because I'm getting older and less pliable and I never had to think about this before. I'm a conservative type. I need to be hit very hard between the eyes before I'll adopt something that's wasn't in my original playbook.

Nobody with eyes will deny that this is going to happen, and probably quite soon. If I live twenty years more I'm sure I'll read this with a rueful shudder. What the hell was I thinking?
Posted by: Sluggo / 3:15 PM
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