How are the Salem witch trials and same-sex marriage related?

Answer 1

There is no relation between the Salem Witch Trials and same gender marriage. No comparison really other than two controversial issues in the history of the US.

During the Salem Witch Trials, a number of people were wrongly accused of criminal behavior. All were imprisoned. Some died, one as a result of interogation techniques used during that time.

As relates to same gender marriages, a group of people are attempting to gain national legal recognition for an area of domestic contract law. It is not a criminal act in the US to marry one of the same gender, and no one has been imprisoned here for attempting to do so. It simply is not recognized.

During the Salem witch trials, it was mostly the poorer, rural population who engaged in agriculture that supported the use of "spectral evidence" as sufficient to convict someone of witchcraft. The more affluent, city population who were involved in commerce and trading were less likely to support the witch trials and lobbied for them to come to an end.

With respect to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States, we again see a dichotomy along similar lines.

Answer 2

During the Salem witch trials, it was mostly the poorer, rural population who engaged in agriculture that supported the use of "spectral evidence" as sufficient to convict someone of witchcraft. The more affluent, city population who were involved in commerce and trading were less likely to support the witch trials and lobbied for them to come to an end.

With respect to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States, we again saw a dichotomy along similar lines, as well as reliance upon imaginary evidence.