David, I'm assuming you're the one who voted "pessimistic" in the poll.
But you're right, and I have thought about many of these things you mentioned.
I also wonder about our gay youth. The religious right seems to be getting more radicalized in their hatred towards gay people. When I was a kid, nobody talked about it; at least not in this part of the country. So, I really didn't have any idea of who I was or what I was supposed to do with my homosexuality. I just knew I was different. We figured it out for ourselves back then. Now, homosexuality is openly discussed in the mainstream media, in churches, in schools and at the dinner table. I guess this is a good thing. But sometimes I feel as if the hatred towards us is growing, not decreasing. So much for our enlighted society.