The Fizzling of A Gay Panic?

Anti-gay initiatives are not creating much excitement among the Christianist base of the GOP, according to this NYT piece. Why? Perhaps the more people see the non-event of marriage equality in Massachusetts and the benign impact of civil unions in several other states, they realize that the push against gay couples is less about saving civilization, and more about cynical partisan politics. Virginia's proposed draconian ban on any rights for gay or straight couples outside of heterosexual-only civil marriage may be the test case. If it loses, the tide may have surely turned. In New York State, a democratic Rubicon has also been crossed.