Making a stand

[andrewducker]

Republican mayor of San Diego stands up and says that he'll sign a gay marriage bill. Breaks up completely on several occasions, clearly finds it very hard to go through the whole thing.

I know that to many people, seeing someone doing "the right thing" won't come across as terribly special. I mean, after all he's just saying that he'll give people the rights they should have had anyway. But he's making a big political move there, placing his career on the line, and probably alienating large numbers of the people he's known for years. Recognising and applauding it is something I heartily approve of.

video here. Cheers to onceupon for the link.

Comments

[slammerkinbabe.livejournal.com]

Dude, giving people the rights they should have had anyway is frequently a hugely difficult thing, when other people are not accustomed to doing so. I'll applaud loud and long.

[onceupon.livejournal.com]

It is one of the things, in contrast with the Jena 6 situation and that guy who peed on a dying woman, that gives me a little hope for humanity.

[spaj.livejournal.com]

How pathetic is this, that it takes his own daughter's coming out to convince him?

What kind of politician doesn't listen to people? (okay, all politicians, but still...)

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

Yes - this isn't actually impressive at all.

Impressive would be -not- doing it after his daughter came out, or doing it without that reason behind it.

[andrewducker]

Except that there are republicans out there with gay children who are _still_ against it. Making the statement was difficult for him - having a gay child doesn't make it any less so.

[spaj.livejournal.com]

Yes it does. It plainly makes it much easier. He now has personal reasons to make the move he does, and a clearer, more personal, and more intimate insight into the "other side" of the argument.

All of which makes it a damn sight less 'difficult' for him to do it.

[andrewducker]

I completely disagree. It makes it more likely for him to be persuaded that he needs to do it, but it makes it no easier to stand up and say "I go back against the things I said before, and against what my party believes."

[spaj.livejournal.com]

I think we're talking about different things - you're looking at the act of going back on your beliefs on it's own, an admittedly difficult act, whereas I'm taking a more holistic perspective, looking at the whole thing.

It's difficult to go against your party, and your previous beliefs. But taking those actions are made difficult or easy by circumstance. You're choosing to look only at certain circumstances:

Eliminate all circumstances, and it's ridiculously easy to say those things - because you're standing in a white matrix where nothing exists, and no one cares.

Now add in a party of biggots who believe the opposite, who you've been in agreement with for years. It becomes more difficult.

Now, is it more or less difficult to do when you change the circumstances again, and add in a lesbian daughter?

It's not easy, but it's clear to me that this change in circumstances gives added drive to his actions, and thus makes it easier. Not easy, but easier.

I'd have respect for him if he'd done it without a daughter. And well done for doing it. But it's just another reason to hate politicians.

[andrewducker]

Or, indeed, people. Because I've known numerous people who knew what the right thing to do was, but didn't do it. Politicians have never seemed any different in that respect to me.

[ekatarina.livejournal.com]

I give him some props.

His life has gone through a huge upheaval. Sure, from a bigoted position to a not-as-bigoted one, but still, it was his world, he was safe and probably happy in it, then everything changed.

Maybe he was crying over the realization that so many of his coworkers and party members *still* think of his daughter as less than human.

I dunno. He's no saint, but he gets a small cheer from me.

Ekatarina