DEPARTMENT OF AMPLIFICATION.We were pleased that so many readers took the time to respond to "The Homosexual Agenda The homosexual agenda (or the gay agenda) is a term used by some social conservatives in the United States to describe the goal of increasing LGBT acceptance and equality through public policies, media exposure, and cultural change. " (October 6; see Correspondence, November 3 and November 17). Rather than reply to each, we'd like to amplify briefly two points. On politics The editorial was about politics and the entrance of gays and lesbians into the political arena. There is an agenda--why not call it a homosexual agenda?--just as there has been a black agenda, a feminist agenda, a labor-union agenda. Entering the political arena puts proposals to the test: the whole society gets to debate their merits and vote them up or down. That's what makes politics a risky business. Some gay and lesbian spokespersons, and at least some news coverage, view criticism of the homosexual agenda, especially criticism of same-sex unions A Same-sex union refers to an enduring relationship between two people of the same gender. Literary, historical, and archaeological evidence of such unions has been found for a number of diverse cultures as early as 2400 B.C. , as a form of bigotry Bigotry See also Anti-Semitism. Beaumanoir, Sir Lucas de prejudiced ascetic; Grand Master of Templars. [Br. Lit.: Ivanhoe] Bunker, Archie middle-aged bigot in television series. . We think this sort of language should be avoided. The resort to accusations of racism or sexism in recent public debates about affirmative action affirmative action, in the United States, programs to overcome the effects of past societal discrimination by allocating jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. and reproductive "choice" made political deliberation rancorous ran·cor n. Bitter, long-lasting resentment; deep-seated ill will. See Synonyms at enmity. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin, rancid smell, from Latin and distorted the real issues at stake. In a similar sense, we think there are honest and reasoned arguments against same-sex unions; they should be given a fair chance to enter the debate without having the moral integrity of persons expressing such views questioned at every turn. Seeking judicial fiats for same-sex unions short-circuits the debate that is the responsibility of legislative bodies. The Vermont Supreme Court The Vermont Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority of the U.S. state of Vermont and is one of seven state courts of Vermont. The Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices; the Court mostly hears appeals of cases that have been decided by other effectively ordered the legislature to apply civil-union rules to homosexual couples. At least some of Vermont's citizens vowed to throw out legislators who complied. That's democracy. On remedies In commenting on the turn to the courts for remedies against discrimination, we did not offer a pain-and-suffering equation that ruled in African Americans African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. and ruled out women and homosexuals. We simply pointed to a historical fact: the consequences, first of slavery, later segregation, and finally discrimination, prevented many in the African-American community from having an equal opportunity in this society. As a society, we owed African Americans redress for great historical wrongs. It is at least debatable that this is so for women and gays. We are sure this will clarify matters. |
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