Gay rights from a "conservative" view/a more responsible approach.

I wasn't suggesting that at all, Star Forge. Merely saying that there is still an obvious need for them. After all, it's only today that the US is dragging itself into the 21st Century when it comes to equality (DOMA, etc)....

Grouping, dividing… too often it just turns into polite hate mongering.

“They’re different from us so they should be in this group.”

“I want to understand those people.”

“What’s their point of view?”

Who cares? If the shoe were on the other foot how do you honestly think you would feel about it? Honestly! Not some snide comment so that someone’s argument is undermined.

But I know how important it is to be right and have others agree, so I don’t suspect we will get compassion or an honest personal response to the question. Just more of, I would still think this or think that or whatever.
I quit reading this thread a while back because it was no longer about understanding or sharing or knowledge of others or any of the things that most Jedi would try to associate with a discussion. To me, It just looks like a bunch of everyone needs to agree with my point of view and I don’t care what yours is.

I used to be against gay marriage in both the religious and secular sense, until I got informed, when, finally, I found a gay guy who was cool with me saying "Hey, I'm curious about the whole gay thing. It's completely alien to me, and I'm not quite sure of what I think of it, but I want to hear it from your side." What I'm trying to express to all homosexual here is that, in my experience, gays haven't been very approachable about the subject. Just the "I'm not quite sure of what I think about it" part got me preached at and called a homophobe many times. What I'm saying is, as with all other things- ideology, religion- one needs to understand that there are people who disagree or aren't sure. Rather than despise them or call them bigots, try putting things into simple, everyday words.

And Mark, I'm glad you didn't take that the wrong way. I would never suggest that there is no further need for activism or the pride movement.