Basic Rights Oregon (BRO) is taking it slow for same sex marriage. While places like Iowa and Washington DC are approving gay marriage through the state Supreme Court and mayoral decrees, respectively, BRO is hoping to grind away at anti-marriage sentiments slow and steady to lay the ground for passing a statewide constitutional amendment okaying same-sex marriage in 2012.

I canvassed the suburbs with BRO last summer, when their message was conversation, not conversion. At the time, LGBT advocates Equality California were trying the same tactic in their post-Prop 8 state. "People don't view this as a political issue, they view it as a cultural issue," Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors told me. "It takes more than one conversation."

The new pro-same sex marriage TV ad that will hit Oregon airwaves for three weeks starting July 19 is
in that same genre of the "Love Thy Neighbor" message. Older couples both talk about the importance of love and marriage, closing with the tagline, "Marriage Matters." The word "gay" is noticeably absent. You could easily mistake it for a right-wing ad if it weren't for one the couples being Gina and Regina. Check it out: