Undeniable change of attitude

Since President Obama endorsed same-sex marriage on Wednesday, the airwaves and internet have been awash with everything from exuberant celebration to sheer rage.

When I heard the news, my first thoughts were of my gay and lesbian friends who have been in loving, monogamous relationships for years or decades. They are among the most caring and compassionate people I have known -- living lives of generosity in medicine and education and ministry and the arts.

Because this is an election year, my friends' jubilation will be tempered by a new level of damning cacophony.

At worst, the fiercest of biblical fundamentalists will once again pull out their bible and quote from chapter 20 of the Book of Leviticus, which calls for the execution of active homosexuals and says that "their blood is upon them." Others, in the tradition of the late Jerry Falwell, will again blame LGBT people for past, present or imminent national catastrophes.

Everyone knows that the national attitude toward gay folks is changing. It is even changing in the world of evangelical Christians. Yesterday I was quite amazed to read in the Washington Post that 44 percent of young white evangelicals favor allowing gay and lesbian people to marry. (Compare that with 12 percent of evangelical seniors and 19 percent of evangelicals overall.) On the other hand, North Carolina has just become the 30th state to add a banning clause to its constitution.

No doubt that the volume of anti-Obama (and Biden) condemnation will go even higher now. That's already happening. But the steady pace of changing attitudes throughout the country is undeniable.