world-wide evolution

We're living through an era of immense and rapid social change. Consider that a time line like the one at left showing the acceptance of gay marriage is considerably steeper than this.

This has been going on for some time, but now it's picking up speed. Governments have to rush to catch up with changes that have already occurred in fact if not in law, revising old laws, throwing some out, writing some news ones, in order to reflect the changing nature of social relationships, drug policy, and any other social phenomenon you can name.

Some institutions lag behind. Mid-East governments struggle to suppress 20th-century political realities, and the Catholic Church refuses to accommodate modern social realities as it timidly approaches 1800 in its attitudes.

At this poiint, laggers lag at their own peril.