Symposium: The best reason I'm wrong on gay marriage

So, what gives me the most pause when it comes to my position? My goal is to preserve freedom all around. But there’s a good chance that my solution, while defusing some short-term problems, could end up pleasing no one. Some people, on both the Left and the Right, want a government stamp of approval. More alarmingly, others, largely on the Left, seem to want to force every single person in America to join in on that stamp of approval, no questions asked.

You can see this in the fights that have popped up around the country, particularly when it comes to florists and bakers bullied for refusing to participate in gay weddings. You can see it in the calls to boycott Dolce & Gabbana after they spoke out in support of traditional families. You can see it in the otherwise seemingly normal and pleasant people who suddenly turn icy, furious, and shut down at the suggestion that conservative Christians are not necessarily evil “bigots” because of their beliefs.

The growing “you must approve” coalition allows no room for dissent. It also shows little regard for various fundamental freedoms. This is alarming, and occasionally I worry it might be the way we’re headed. If that’s the case, getting the government out of marriage might help, but it won’t fully address the larger issues at play.