He's for (wink wink) "Traditional Values"

It's still six weeks before the election but those automated phone calls about candidates have already started. I had one on my answering machine today. It was, as usual, from an anonymous voice and source but in support of a local candidate for state representative. The caller stressed the pro-traditional policies of the candidate and his support of "traditional marriage" (ie. anti-gay marriage). The word "traditional" was used several times - in a blatant attempt to appeal to the intolerance streak in voters. Until I heard this appeal I was leaning toward voting for the candidate but its my policy not to vote for people who appeal to the baser instincts in people to win elections.

In Oklahoma, gay marriage hasn't the chance of a snowball in hell - but it will someday. As the Pew surveys show, this type of intolerance is losing ground fast - especially among young people and educated people of all ages. The day will come, none too soon, when using codewords such as "traditional marriage" to appeal to prejudice will lose elections. In the meantime I'll just have to be content to be at the cutting edge tolerance in Oklahoma.