Forgive the bunching, but this is #3 for the day.
1) "Kelley wrote: ". . . I don't know about anyone else, but the xtian culture wars are a distraction. At the same time, it's depressing and frightening that these folks can so effectively march to the same incessant beat."
I actually think the culture wars help. My husband and I were watching Larry King the other night and we both got the impression that the right wing has now boxed itself in. They have to take on the appearance of attack dogs.
The often hidden theocratic agenda is going to become more and more exposed. King went farther than usual for him, but clearly the question is going to come up of why the (secular) state should criminalize a sin, especially when it allows divorce and doesn't criminalize adultery.
Also, the lockstep of the right is going to look increasingly frightening since their arguments in this case are so limited and extreme. Listening to them is going to take on a Stepford Wives quality.
2) Carl: I know the dictionary definition of "effete." I also know (as I presume you do as well unless you are amazingly unlearned) the connotation of the word. Since you could have substituted "exhausted," "spent," "tired," "puissance-challenged" for the word "effete" (taken with the hostile tone of your post), the use of "effete" came across as a classy, LBO list equivalent of the playground utterance "faggot Unitarians."
3) CB: I think Wm. James believes that both "and" and "or" help to ensure freedom. I am sorry if I was unclear in representing James' thought.
Brian Dauth Spent (in terms of my daily allotment of posts) Queer Buddhist Resister