The Hiller Instinct: Landmark Anniversary

As gays today celebrate their new civil right, the right to be married ordered by a state court, there are also celebrations for another court order -- Brown versus Board of Education issued 50 years ago today by the U.S. Supreme Court, outlawing segregation in public schools.

Today both President Bush and John Kerry were in Topeka, Kansas where the challenge to separate, but equal schools originated...

President George W. Bush
"To mark a day and decision that changed America for the better and forever."

Kerry qualified his praise, saying schools are still separate and unequal, pointing to a future of full equality…

Sen. John Kerry (D) Presidential Candidate
"Fifty years after Brown, we have only just begun. For America to be America for any of us, America must be America for all of us."

But those inspiring words probably mean little to those joining their futures today, since both Bush and Kerry oppose gay marriage…

Sen. John Kerry (D) Presidential Candidate
"I don't happen to support marriage. I support rights... I think it's important to give people rights."

President George W. Bush
"If we are to prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever, our nation must enact a constitutional amendment to protect marriage in America."

Given the nation's divided opinion on gay marriage, there are, no surprise, protests against it. But time has made protests against integration seem outdated... Just as time may make protests against gay marriage seem old-fashioned.

Looking ahead to November, polls say most gay marriage supporters will be with Kerry, most opponents with Bush. But the economy and the war on terror will be the dominant issues. So if the question is, "how important will gay marriage be in the presidential election?" My answer would be, "not very."