Well, the Texas legislature, for bad or good, decided to put the constitutional amendment effectively banning gay marriage on the November ballot. So it's going to be "crunch time" for gay rights advocates wanting to insure that this piece of legislation doesn't pass. They have my vote, but I am writing this article to give them a couple of pointers in preparing their campaign.

First, don't make this an issue about your lifestyle. If you do, you will lose. It's that simple. The majority of Texans find your lifestyle repugnant and will not for a second support any act to legitimize it. That statement isn't "homophobic", it's fact.

Second, don't alienate potential allies. There are many who, though they find your lifestyle personally repugnant, find themselves on the fringe and don't care what you do when your doors are closed. If you get involved in red herring, tangential debates, you will lose. Realize that, for the moment what matters is that they can accept your viewpoint on this position.

Third, don't cast yourself as an "oppressed minority". You are NOT Rosa Parks, and any attempt to cast yourself as such is an insult to the fine men and women of ALL races and creeds who helped to gain civil rights in this country.

If you want to win this battle, concentrate on the fact that "lifestyle legislation" has the potential to harm those far outside its sphere of influence. Further "definitions of marriage" could revert back to anachronistic same faith marriages and a ban on interracial marriages. This legislation is, in short, an area where no politician should have the right to legislate. And THAT'S where you need to concentrate your efforts.

Frankly, I don't see any way this amendment will fail. It would truly surprise me if it did. But if you concentrate your efforts on our acceptance of your lifestyle, I can virtually GUARANTEE its passage.