Sarmiento on Same-Sex Marriage

Sergio Sarmiento offers a pretty good synopsis of what I sort of think will be the prevailing reaction to same-sex marriage in Mexico:

Maintaining the prohibition on marriage between homosexuals is a popular position because the majority of Mexicans aren't gay and think that this preference is a perversion. The correct question that a modern society as, however, isn't if people agree with gay marriage, but rather if it generates some harm to third parties. And the answer is no.

With the absence of damage to third parties, it makes no sense to continue the prohibition of marriages between homosexuals. The government mustn't have the power to obligate one person to get married, nor the power impede two people from doing so only because they are of the same sex. Marriage is a simple civil contract that implies the commitment to maintain an enduring relationship with certain rights and obligations. The Church has, of course, the right to restrict religious weddings, but a secular state has no reason to assume the position of the Church as its own.

I say "sort of" above because, although I think Sarmiento's diagnosis squares pretty well with what I've seen from conservative Mexicans, nothing is stopping an ambitious governor from making a name for himself by leading the backlash. And while many conservative Mexicans might sympathize with the above logic, said sympathy would probably not be enough for them to try to block a ban on same-sex marriage. I should also add that I don't think becoming the preeminent anti-gay politician in Mexico would be a path the presidency, but it would certainly ensure national headlines.