rather than a love of humankind. I think the homophobia that
blossoms here at times like this (and sexism in other
circumstances) comes from that basic hatred,
now eight years of hatred. The danger with such passionate
hatred of a hateful enemy is becoming hateful, too,
in the name of winning over being humane.

Progressivism isnt built on hatred of the other,
it's built on being able to put yourself in another person's
shoes and sense their suffering, relate their suffering to
your own so to work to ease it, sometimes just by identifying.
Hatred & intolerance is "if youre not with us,
youre against us" & results in just the kind of shut-up
sleepwalking who-me? homophobia obvious around here today.

"I dont hate you or your sexuality, I'm all for you getting
everything you want and deserve, but for now SHUT THE FUCK UP!
Swallow your pain and hurt, choke on it if you have to, but
SHUT THE FUCK UP! Start bitching again in 31 days!"

It's a minority, but it doesnt take much to poison the well.
How many gays here today have said they wont vote for Obama/
Biden because of the marriage issue?

People have a hard time holding two powerful & conflicting
thoughts in their mind at once--I am hurt by what you said,
but I'm still with you overall and on your side. "No, to be
on my side, you cannot say anything negative about our side,
you must be quiet until we tell you it is safe to speak."

And I dont even believe anybody advocating shutting up really
believes those troublesome gays are going to ruin or lose
the election or anything close to it. I do believe it's a sign
of that vein of hatred for BushCo leaking out into a greater hatred
for anybody who doesnt put the hatred of Bush above everything else, including empathy for one another's suffering, as you put it so
lovingly and beautifully.