Fortunately, the majority of America's universities are exceedingly liberal--even my humble state university cured me of my homophobic nature (you would not have liked me very much seven or eight years ago; I was raised in a rural, fundamentalist Christian environment). That certainly helps. I think current trends indicates increased acceptance towards gays and gay issues; while we may not be on the cusp of a Civil Rights movement-esque situation, we're certainly making progress.
Personally, I consider this whole fundamentalist Christian movement an unfortunate aberration, but I don't think we're headed for a theocracy. At worst, the United States might divide over the issue and separate into separate regions, but I think the issue will most likely either be resolved or have been supplanted by other issues before it comes to that.
In short, I wouldn't worry--things seem to be getting better. The usage of anti-gay fear-mongering in the 2004 election was the nadir, I think; and the subsequent disaster that is Bush's 2nd term (and the thumping the Republicans received in the 2006 elections) might just spell the end of complete and unconditional support of the Republican party by the hardcore evangelicals. Bush betrayed them. The Republicans betrayed them. They're pissed. Not pissed enough to vote Democratic, mind you, but they may just not vote at all next time.
Still, I won't deny it; there's probably a lot more homophobia and outright hatred of homosexuals in the United States than any of us can imagine. This is something we have to fight town by town, person by person, every day. The only way to combat ignorance is to educate, and I sincerely hope the day will come when gay people will achieve true equality in the United States. I have to believe it will, because if I didn't, I'd have to stop believing in what America is...and I don't want to do that.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2007-02-20 05:22 pm (UTC)Personally, I consider this whole fundamentalist Christian movement an unfortunate aberration, but I don't think we're headed for a theocracy. At worst, the United States might divide over the issue and separate into separate regions, but I think the issue will most likely either be resolved or have been supplanted by other issues before it comes to that.
In short, I wouldn't worry--things seem to be getting better. The usage of anti-gay fear-mongering in the 2004 election was the nadir, I think; and the subsequent disaster that is Bush's 2nd term (and the thumping the Republicans received in the 2006 elections) might just spell the end of complete and unconditional support of the Republican party by the hardcore evangelicals. Bush betrayed them. The Republicans betrayed them. They're pissed. Not pissed enough to vote Democratic, mind you, but they may just not vote at all next time.
Still, I won't deny it; there's probably a lot more homophobia and outright hatred of homosexuals in the United States than any of us can imagine. This is something we have to fight town by town, person by person, every day. The only way to combat ignorance is to educate, and I sincerely hope the day will come when gay people will achieve true equality in the United States. I have to believe it will, because if I didn't, I'd have to stop believing in what America is...and I don't want to do that.