Last night, by a margin of three to two, the voters of Ohio amended their constitution to include this: “Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.” Ten other states passed similar measures. In parallel, a high proportion of exit-polled voters said that their decisions were made on the basis of “moral values” rather than on economic or foreign-policy issues. On this, and the election as a whole, I cheerfully admit that I Just Don’t Get It. But then, the United States doesn’t need me to understand it, and still less does it need—nor apparently want—the world’s approval of its actions or, uh, “moral values”. It would be good if America and the world weren’t so badly out of tune, but that’s how it is, and neither has much leverage on the other. But I’m optimistic that we’ll get along better, down the road.
