[metmom]

I heard somewhere that *Anything you say before “but” doesn’t mean anything.*

[Tax-chick]

Yes, like, “I believe in free speech, but ...,” or “I didn’t exactly hit Frank with a brick, but ...”

[Tax-chick]

Although, on reflection, in this case it’s more like the opposite: “I don’t care what homosexuals do in private, AND I don’t really care that all our Constitutional rights are being abrogated to make them happy.” So in this case, it’s what comes after the “but.”