So I m pretty optimistic that they ll be able to work this out, that the eventual outcome will neither be complete secularization or that they ll become like Catholic colleges were in the 1950s or like what Dan Mahoney wants Assumption College to be. One issue that you did find people divided sharply over was homosexuality. I ve thought a lot about it, because it was a striking finding and people are always asking me about it. If you have an issue that deals with love, intimacy, sex, children, schools people are going to have views. Many of the questions in our culture today about homosexuals and their rights really cut close to the bone, so it s not surprising that people have strong views on the issue.
Polls really don t show any real change.
Almost every poll shows two Americans are against gay marriage for every one in favor. When I was writing the book I thought about the famous case of Loving v. Virginia , when the Supreme court in 1967 threw out state prohibitions on inter-racial marriage. And I was amazed that that was so recent. If Clarence Thomas had been around then he could have been arrested under Virginia law instead of being on the Supreme Court because he s married to a white woman. It s stunning how much our society has changed on interracial marriage, so maybe it will change on gay marriage too.