This cartoon by Christopher Weyant from The Hill relates to the current debate in the USA over same-sex marriage.
BACKGROUND
Thousands of demonstrators descended Tuesday on the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices heard arguments on the first of two cases addressing the constitutionality of same-sex marriage.
The court on Tuesday heard arguments on California's law banning gay marriage, known as Proposition 8. On Wednesday, the court will hear arguments on the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act, which limits the definition of marriage to opposite-sex couples.
The cases come before the high court months after three more states — Maryland, Maine and Washington — legalized gay marriage. Altogether, nines states and the District of Columbia have laws allowing gay marriage. [Source: USA Today]
THE CARTOON
The cartoon shows a donkey (representing the Democratic party), and an elephant (representing the Republican party) reading the newspaper. The headlines tell us that while support for same-sex marriage is at an all-time high, Congress' approval rating is at an all-time low. The elephant sighs, "I wish we were gay".
EXPLANATION
The suggestion is that if the elephant and donkey were gay, they would be more popular.
VOCABULARY
Gay is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual.
The term was originally used to refer to feelings of being "carefree", "happy", or "bright and showy". The term's use as a reference to homosexuality may date as early as the late 19th century, but its use gradually increased in the 20th century. In modern English, "gay" has come to be used as an adjective, and as a noun, referring to the people, especially to males, and the practices and cultures associated with homosexuality. [Source: Wikipedia]
GRAMMAR
Note that we use past tense forms in English to talk about wishes for the present:
- I wish I lived in somewhere more interesting.
- I wish we were travelling first class.
- Everyone wishes they had more free time.
- John wishes he wasn’t so busy.
- I wish it wasn’t so cold.
