tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8713290311211812386.post7378071363355194251..comments2024-02-04T22:16:37.351-08:00Comments on Can These Bones Live: Proposition 8, the Balance of Power, and Limited GovernmentCarl Bankstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01241103671889463341noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8713290311211812386.post-13400656764944760472012-02-15T15:32:49.388-08:002012-02-15T15:32:49.388-08:00I thank Dr. Bankston for extending my post (thrown...I thank Dr. Bankston for extending my post (thrown off in a few minutes on a Sunday afternoon) with a much more detailed, thorough, and nuanced discussion. He is absolutely right that the gay marriage debate does not slide easily into a Left/Right dichotomy; his superb discussion demonstrates the issue's complexity, showing that different strains of political philosophy and different modes of political practice are at work here. My own, limited point was that many leaders of the "civic engagement" movement, ostensible champions of democracy, are not quite on democracy's side in this case. I was giving the lie to statements about "the future of democracy" and "democratic learning for students" (AACU.org). Dr. Bankston demonstrates some of the possible reasons behind the disconnect, reasons based on a host of political possibilities. More importantly, Dr. Bankston's post demonstrates the kind of nuanced discussion that, in my mind, is supposed to go on in the halls of academia; let's hope such discussions aren't drowned out by the rallying cries of an academic majority.Seth Longhttp://www.textonthebeach.comnoreply@blogger.com