Thursday, August 9, 2012

Winning the Kids Over

Katrina Trinko notices that young Republicans give far less of a shit about what naughty bits go where than they should.
I’m 24, and I’m used to being the odd one out among my peers in opposing the legalization of same-sex marriage. But I also get the impression that very few young adults have heard a good argument for why it should be opposed.
Maybe you should give them that good argument! Next sentence:
It’s not that they’ve heard the argument that marriage should be tied to procreation – delivered charitably, with an awareness that many young adults have gay friends and/or family — and have rejected it so much as they simply have been emotionally moved by the case made by gay and lesbians who wish to be married.
There you go: people who are not having children are not allowed to be married. Good one! Follow the link she gives to the NRO editorial on gay marriage and after some moaning about being called bigots we have Liberty:
What the institution and policy of marriage aims to regulate is sex, not love or commitment. These days, marriage regulates sex (to the extent it does regulate it) in a wholly non-coercive manner, sex outside of marriage no longer being a crime.
Now THERE'S an argument that college-age kids of libertarian bent can appreciate: applause for the government regulating orgasms with a wistful nod at anti-fornication punishment.

David French responds:
Katrina, thanks for your post. I particularly liked this statement:
But at the same time, it’s foolish to ignore the social issues — and to give up on changing anyone’s mind. Social conservativism has a compelling moral vision, one centered on human dignity and the preciousness of life. That case deserves an airing, particularly to young adults, who may be more familiar with the routine mockery of social conservative values than with the arguments for those values sincerely and thoughtfully delivered.
This is exactly right. Implicit in many reports like the Times story you link to is the notion that young voters are somehow showing us the way. (This notion rightfully drives Jonah crazy.) We social conservatives have a good case to make, we should make it, and we shouldn’t turn generational responsibilities upside down by letting juniors lead their elders.
College Republicans who are, say, 24 need guidance from elders like David French, who is surely in his mid 40s and must ache to pass on his wisdom as death approaches. Will the youngsters listen or has the Ladies-Wearing-Pants Revolution gone too far already?

9 comments:

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Social conservativism has a compelling moral vision, one centered on human dignity and the preciousness of life.

Which is why they're for wars and capital punishment but against universal health care.
~

M. Bouffant said...

centered on human dignity and the preciousness of life
Straight out of the Catholic playbook. Jesus, any given dung-eating beetle has more dignity than the average humanoid.

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

they simply have been emotionally moved by the case made by gay and lesbians who wish to be married.

Yeah, emotions should play no role in the institution of marriage.

Smut Clyde said...

Social conservativism has a compelling moral vision

Sadly, the vision is not sufficiently compelling for most people, which is why laws are needed to impose it upon them.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

Overall, that was a pretty impressive display of sarcasm, Sub.

tigris said...

they simply have been emotionally moved by the case made by gay and lesbians who wish to be married

Jesus, leave it to conservatives to argue that empathy for one's fellow man is a moral failing.

which is why laws are needed to impose it upon them.

You think it was meant as an adjective instead of a verb. Ha ha silly Smut is silly.

Dr.KennethNoisewater said...

She's right about the abortion issue, though. It looks as though years of telling folks that women who have abortions are skanky sluts and murderers has had an effect. Now I wonder if people are even willing to admit to being pro-choice. So...good for the forced-birthers.

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

Now I wonder if people are even willing to admit to being pro-choice. So...good for the forced-birthers.

If you breathers aren't forced to breed, where does the next generation of Zombie Chow come from?

Smut Clyde said...

Vat-grown brains, ZRM.