What’s really behind the ’sanctity of marriage’ fight?

Is it really about preserving “the sanctity of marriage,” or is the marriage debate just another means by which to express and act upon prejudice against gay Americans?

In North Carolina, a state that recently banned gay marriage or any effort to give gay people legal rights comparable to marriage, the state GOP platform offers guidance on how to answer that question.

It states:

“Government should treat all citizens impartially, without regard to wealth, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, sex, political affiliation or national origin. We oppose all forms of invidious discrimination. Sexual orientation is not an appropriate category.”

In other words, that fine, upstanding assertion of the American value of equal treatment under the law comes with a rather large and glaring asterisk, as the NC GOP sees it.

“Government should treat all citizens impartially,” but by “all” they don’t quite mean all. A certain subclass of citizen is undeserving of that protection.

And while North Carolina Republicans quite properly “oppose all forms of invidious discrimination,” “all forms” doesn’t really include all forms. A certain type of invidious discrimination must continue to be defended.

So no, it’s not really about marriage, at least for many. It’s about gay-bashing.

– Jay Bookman