I live in Kentucky, a VERY Red state... and have two sons, 23 and 25 years old. I hear the same from them, and many of their friends. They are very conservative on MOST issues... certainly, economically. But, on this issue, they have totally bought into the: "they deserve to be treated like anyone else" argument.
Gay people have been around, forever. But, there really aren't THAT many of them. It's hard to argue that they can bring "destruction to society". They simply aren't THAT important.. and, many of them are relatively intelligent, productive people.
The most successul tact I have found in this argument is: Marriage is a religious institution, NOT a civil one. We really SHOULD separate the two, completely... including the wording. ALL goverment benefits should be granted to "Civil Unions". They usually agree with this....
But I lose them when I say: "Heterosexual Unions are important enough to society, as a whole, to have governments financially subsidize them, with the goal of encouraging children... to keep our population from declining."
They don't make the logical connection that, Gay Civil Unions are NOT WORTHY of financial support from society. They say everyone should be treated the same. I usually respond with, "I WISH the IRS treated everyone the same.. " Then, we all laugh... and part.. but no minds are changed. :-(
What I like about your comments is it is obvious that you go out in the real world and try to engage (young) people and you realistically gage what the difficulties are in this battle.
So many posters sound like they blasted off to Mars in 1984 and only know whats going on in the USA from talk radio broadcasts, down from the Bunkers.
You dont sound like a Koolaid drinker,.
Have you ever talked to your sons about male homosexualss dangerous sexual practices and the real consequences of those actions? Then point out how the Dems nanny state argument is about protection from ourselves, like from drinking sodas??
I understand this argument does not apply to lesbos, but it is a defendable one.