It depends on the behavior and especially on the worst and most newsworthy behavior of the advocates of gay marriage. The USA, despite mischaracterizations when it is convenient for some, is not now the way it was in the 1950s and early 1960s. Mainstream society objects to extremism and pushing too hard, too harshly, or too loudly by some in the activist community who become their group-of-concern's worst enemy. Plenty outside the religious right would object to rushing to push gay marriage too hard, too quickly (many people view marriage in the traditional sense and that is in no way evil). Plenty of people also object to judicial activism and leftist misuse of the courts as a political weapon — particularly if the objective is counter to the general community's desires.

McCain knows he and the GOP can get swing votes and other non-liberal votes in addition to the religious right votes, easily, on this issue, particularly if the other side is strident and obnoxious in any way or misuses the courts to get what they want instead of getting it the correct, legitimate way, through state legislatures.

And no, that doesn't make any and every “general community” a Jim Crow conspiracy. Forego the lies in advance, thanks.

What we need is legislation protecting marriage from the Brittany's and Kfeds of the world, from lets get married gameshows and the 60% of people who get divorced. Fix those issues and you'd be doing the institution of marriage a real service. But its easier to pick on fags.