Such has been the experience of some who have had the courage to go public with their convictions. Maggie Gallagher put up an important piece, "The Chilling of Our First Amentments Rights." She writes: [my bolding]
The First Amendment is more than a legal guarantee. It is a culture — a key American value — which holds that in a decent and free society, law-abiding citizens should not face reprisals for speaking up with civility for the moral good as they see it.
Sen. Chuck Grassley’s remarkable opening statement in today’s Senate hearing on a bill to repeal DOMA called attention to a very serious and growing intolerance directed at Americans who believe marriage is the union of husband and wife:
The minority very much hoped to call a witness today at this hearing to testify in support of DOMA. I am sure she would have done an excellent job.
She declined, however, citing as one reason the threats and intimidation that have been leveled against not only her but her family as a result of her public support for DOMA. She will continue to write on this subject, but will no longer speak publicly about it. This chilling of First Amendment rights is unacceptable.
When Chris Johnson, a reporter from the Washington Blade, called and asked if that woman was me, I was at first amused. No, of course not. I am not refusing to make public appearances. I was not invited this time.
But I could sympathize. I just returned from interviewing a Toronto sportscaster who was fired for tweeting that he believed “in the true and authentic meaning of marriage.” Next week, I will go to North Carolina to interview another man whose contract was terminated when the HR head of his company found out he had written against gay marriage.
The death threats and hateful mail New York state senator Rev. Ruben Diaz says he has received are not unusual. Whole professions are in the process of being closed to anyone who espouses — and acts — on the view that marriage is the union of husband and wife.
Fox News is not covering this. Conservative media outlets, except for a few beacons such as NR, are virtually silent.
The underlying truth that “pro-equality” Republicans need to understand is this: They are aiding and abetting a political movement that, at this point in history, seeks to make traditional Christian views on sex and marriage unacceptable in the public square — just as racist views on interracial marriage are unacceptable — by heaping scorn and hatred on any American who does something to support marriage as one man and one woman.
The marriage debate is about redefining not only marriage, but the relationship between Judeo-Christian values and the American tradition.
I just wonder what these “pro-equality” conservatives think will be left to conserve after that.
Me: I agree. "Fox news is not covering this..." Virtually no media outlets are. I agree with the person who commented:
In my view the real dynamic here isn't gay marriage qua gay marriage. We're witnesses a much larger shift. One religion (secular liberalism as currently understood) is seeking to displace another (Judeo-christian faith).
The new god(s) cannot abide the worship of any others so the acolytes must take arms against the existing order and destroy it so that it can be replaced by the new order, which of course hasn't exactly been defined just yet.
True believers are the American left are highly motivated to achieve their objective. Those who profess faith in the old God, not so much. So one by one the old order, the old ways will crumble. It remains to be seen if the new order is functionally any better. Many on the right doubt it, but many on the right are not nearly as motivated to sustain the existing order as their opponents are to destroy it.