Magical Realist said:
It's almost a karmic law it seems that for every age of increasing tolerance there arise a few total lunatics who must carry the balance of intolerance.
In truth, I don't think we need to invoke karma.
Rather, look at the last, oh, say, half-century at least. We can even go back beyond that for the Civil Rights movement.
Generally speaking, social conservatives are losing their fight. Losing on racism was inevitable, and they have the Southern Strategy to keep them warm on cold and lonely nights. But there was a backlash against women that occurred in the eighties, as male supremacism attempted to reinforce the privileges men felt were endangered. Still, though, the soccons didn't win that one outright. They may have stopped Equal Rights for Women, and they may be reasserting themselves ferociously today, but it is a losing battle.
Remember that the current arc of the Gay Fray seems to start in Oregon, with a bunch of Christian zealots who turned their wrath upon homosexuals because they were sick of losing anti-abortion fights.
And now things pick up speed.
The last twenty-five years have seen everything falling off the soccon platform. Drug use, needle exchanges, gay sex, gay marriage, rape, birth control, women in the workplace, women wearing pants, you name it, the social conservatives have lost it.
And all of this resulted in redoubled efforts.
Think of the closet cases who fell from grace. No, really, think about the Haggards and Rekers of our society, and never forget Bob Allen, the anti-gay Florida Republican who
solicited a cop for a blowjob↗ because he is afraid of black people.
But just think about it for a moment: A closet case in denial who has found a reason to spend that much time thinking about gay sex. Sublimate much? There came a point (and came again) when it no longer seemed surprising. Rather, at the latest news of a social conservative committing the exact sin he or she denounces―
There's hardly a month goes by without some prominent judge or politician being found in suspenders and stockings, being hit with a stick of rhubarb and stood in a bucket of cod; which, personally, doesn't really bother me, except that it always turns out that the day before they've stood up in the House of Commons and said, "If there's one thing that makes me sick, it's people who dress up in suspenders and stockings and get hit with a stick of rhubarb, stood in a bucket of cod!"
―Mark Steel
―the appropriate reaction seems to be shrugging and muttering that it sounds about right. (
Iceaura, 12 Nov. 2007↗:
"How do these stories keep their aura of 'against type' for so many years? Surely at some point the repetition forces the recognition that they exemplify a type?")
There are variable values to consider, as well; soccons generally identify as heterosexual, and against lesbians, which terms begin to sketch the shape of what we can perceive about their outlook on women. Or perhaps that is more words than necessary:
Keeping women in their mythical place is just that much more important to people who believe being gay is some sort of disease that can be cured.
(No, seriously, when you get down to FOX News guests arguing that teaching equality between males and females is bad parenting―
yes, really↱―there really is no question what is happening.)
Watch what happens when the full measure of what President Obama has done for the transgendered finally sets in; some soccon activists have noticed, but the best they can manage is Gov. Brownback of Kansas trying to bait the Justice Department into a fight the Sunflower State will lose
(Bells↑). And the whole point of losing is to rally the troops against the phantom menace of liberty and justice for all
(bd↱). But when all is said and done, someone, somewhere on the right wing is going to freak out as recognition sets in; Sam Brownback being himself doesn't count.
Still, though, it makes the point. Soccons will strike legal protections, push bills to legalize discrimination (and, believe it or not, domestic violence as well ... yes, really), close their businesses in protest, and even go so far as to sacrifice their intellect such that
consent has no relevance to their assessment of human sexual relations.
There is a statistical aspect to the soccon outburst, but I'm not certain the mathematics are understood, yet. To the other, it is also observable that losing the fights they pick, over and over, takes its toll.
We do not necessarily need to consider mysticism; it is predictable that in this time, under these circumstances, such extremity will arise. Their center cannot hold; things fall apart. This rough beast, its hour come 'round at last, slouches toward Hell to be born unto itself.
Look at it this way:
Soon enough, we'll need to whittle an ADA accommodation for these people as a mental health issue.
The sooner we can end the fight and get on with human sympathy, the better.
Some years ago, a friend of mine descended of mixed heritage, sat at Thanksgiving dinner while his proverbial crazy uncle ranted on about how white people are the real victims. Instead of correcting the man, my friend simply set down his fork and knife, looked pointedly across the table, and said, "Maybe it's about your turn."
It can be a comforting sentiment in the moment, but we all know it's not the right way to go about things.
When it is finally established that these people are certifiably crazy, they're going to need our compassion.
But these sorts of furious ejaculations are as inevitable as masturbation; it is inherent to the social conservative character, and we already know how dangerous it can be if left unattended.
____________________
Notes:
Steel, Mark. "Sexuality". The Mark Steel Solution #301. BBC Radio 4, August 4, 1995.