Education Needs to Be Spread.

I was in a discussion today with a large group of people over what qualifications should be enforced when running for president. Now, I am somewhere between a Liberal and a Democratic liberal, and i'm very opinionated. We came to the point of marital status and religion, and whether or not it mattered in a president. Instantly, i was ready to fight. Here's how a first part went:
Girl1: Well, I wouldn't want the president to be like, a buddist or something, because i'm a christian."
Guy1:"But it's not just about you."
Girl1:"Yeah, But i would be more comfortable with a President of my religion."
Guy1:"What's your religion?"
Girl1:"I am a christian. So's the majority of the country, and a president should represent the majority."
Me:"But it's not the presidents job to govern the majority...it's his job to govern EVERYONE. And not everyone's a christian."
There was some general grumbles at this point, which made me laugh, because i am friends with Girl1...although our points are very different on many things. But, the conversation continued elsewhere. At some point, Gay Rights came up. This had me, once again, set up...because my largest problem with the government is the unchanging marrige laws. Anyway, the talk was about why religion shouldn't be a major point, and i said;
"Religions should have nothing to do with our Presidential canidates because some religions don't allow the union of Gays and Lesbians. So, the government then doesn't allow these marriges. Which isn't fair at all, the government is then encroaching on a citizen's choice as an individual, and the President's religion then affects the lives of people all over the place who just want to celebrate their love for one another through a union."
My point had spoken. But then, from the back of the group, someone says."But i don't want someone who's Gay to run my country." If I could have slapped her, i would have. I found it a disgrace, to think of anyone as anything less because of a personal choice. I realize she has a right to her opinion, and i should respect that, but i honestly couldn't. I don't understand how one person could say to another that they think of themselves as higher or more correct or anything. I don't understand that mine frame, the lack of respect. I hope her eyes open up one day...and she realizes that the world is diverse and her way may not neccessarily be the right way. If she doesn't, her life will be a very uncultured one.