Southern Conservatives Use Two-Issue Test: Abortion, Gay Marriage

In this election, there are several things that most Americans are looking for in the candidates. We've been in Iraq for several years now, and most people can't even tell you why we're there anymore. These same people are angry about it, having friends and family overseas, and want a president who will bring home the troops. Also, with gas prices the highest they've ever been, Americans want someone who has some bright ideas about lowering them. Another key issue is health care. Americans who don't have health care outnumber those who do, and now, it seems to be a bigger problem than ever. Americans are praying for a solution.

However, in the South, it seems to me that there are only two issues that are of any importance to southern conservatives. If there's one thing you should know about Southern conservatives, it's that they are God-fearing, Bible-believing Christians. It comes as no surprise then, that they believe God created marriage to be between one man and one woman. Therefore, the idea of gay marriage, or even civil unions appalls them.

The only thing they seem to be set on is the marriage aspect of the whole issue. They haven't looked past their hate for it to realize that it's more than just allowing the marriage, and that it's about giving them the same rights as married heterosexual couples, such as the hospital's release of information to a spouse or having the same insurance claim rights. Southern conservatives just won't hear of any gay couple getting married.

The second issue that Southern conservatives have issues with is abortion rights. For them, the answer is always "the woman's right is to have the baby... always... end of discussion." Southern conservatives absolutely refuse to recognize the "novel" idea of a woman's right to choose. Most Southern conservatives I know reject the idea, even if the mother is in danger of losing her life or in the case of rape. They won't entertain the thought of an abortion... ever.

Therefore, they use the candidates' stances on these two issues, to decide electability. I've seen votes wasted on "the other guy" before just because the candidate that should have won was in favor of a woman's right to choose and civil unions and gay rights. I think that this year has been the worst ever for it. However, for Southern conservatives, it's no big deal... it's "just how they were raised."