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As the Unthinkable Becomes Inevitable

Lauren

San Diego’s Republican mayor, Jerry Sanders, was expected to veto legislation in support of gay marriage this week. Yesterday he had a change of heart (WARNING: GRAB A HANKY):

Definitely the feel-good story of the weekend, and illustrative of why openness and visibility are important for minority communities seeking political justice. To borrow a phrase from somebody out there, this is how progress happens; something that was once unthinkable becomes inevitable. Damn, isn’t it good?

via TAPPED

21 thoughts on As the Unthinkable Becomes Inevitable

  1. This was awesome, and it’s the first time I’ve ever felt proud to live here.

    But the job isn’t done, even though the California legislature has passed same-sex marriage legislation. Governor Schwarzenegger is threatening to veto the bill by October 14.

    If you live in California, you can help, by signing a petition to urge the governor to sign the bill. Please sign your name and spread the word

    You can also call the Governor’s office. Don’t worry about knowing what to say; you just go through a phone tree. Choose the menu option to comment on an Assembly bill, then the option to comment on Assembly Bill 43 on gender-neutral marriage, then press 1 to support the bill. The phone number is (916)445-2841.

  4. *sniff*

    Don’t you want to just jump into that video and hug him?

    Even now I can’t totally believe a politician is actually doing something that he thinks is right, instead of pandering to voters. My political cynicism has been taken down a peg.

  6. That was so moving, and beautiful, and astonishing. Just wonderful. I hope that I will continue to be impressed by government officials on this subject.

  8. This vid has been doing the rounds and it’s amazing and wonderful … and all the more so, since he’s a repub … going against his party and his electorate to do what is right and good.

    This speaks to the necessity of coming out as LGBTQI, as they more of us they know on a personal level, the less they can hate us and deny us rights. Until we are equal, there is no such thing as a private non-heterosexual sexual identity.

    And on a slightly more hedonistic level … his daughter Lisa, is GORGEOUS … highly hawt … *sigh* the good ones are always taken …

  9. Awww. This renews my faith in humanity a little.

    But is it just me, or does his wife look horrified when the camera pans out to show them both?

  10. Sarah has it exactly right. It’s easy to deny rights to people you don’t know; it’s very hard to deny equal rights to Chuck and George, who have been together 15 years, and always give you a jar of homemade chutney at Christmas.

  12. the good ones are always taken …

    But you and I are single, so that’s obviously not true. (OK, I ain’t the marrying kind, but I am a catch and not taken.)

  15. That’s a great video, and a great decision. Does anyone who knows San Diego politics have any idea of what the chances are that this will cost him his job in the next election?

    As an aside, I’m scared of the very idea of the idiocy that I’m sure the Youtube comments on this are full of.

  16. That is awesome. That man has more guts than many others have.

    You know, I used to be the kind of person who didn’t see the point in coming out of the closet, so to speak. I just didn’t think that it was anyone’s business who they loved or slept with. I still think that. It’s just not their business, and it doesn’t hurt them, so why care.

    But one realizes that people need to see that these aren’t people with big vans trying to entice kids (the homosexuality = paedophila argument still boggles me) or people trying to fuck as many others as possible. They need to see that it’s their friends, coworkers, and family members, who just want to live their life.

    Hopefully, that makes sense. In any case, it all goes well. It’s humanizing when you realize that these are people you know and care about.

    That, and it’s a hell of a lot harder to say “you’re not worth as much as me”, or mean it, when it’s those you care about.

  17. That’s a great video, and a great decision. Does anyone who knows San Diego politics have any idea of what the chances are that this will cost him his job in the next election?

    As an aside, I’m scared of the very idea of the idiocy that I’m sure the Youtube comments on this are full of.

    Outside of two comments so far, both are… interesting. One complains about “majors changing politics mid-term and running over those who voted for him” and the other accuses him of “having no convictions”.

    Charming, really.

  19. Maryland’s Court of Appeals just turned down a same-sex marriage law suit. So may his spirit move all of the elected officials of my state who can be moved.

  20. here’s the crazy part: I actually believe him. he seems genuine and I really think he had a soul search to come to this decision. just think about that for one second: a politician being genuine.
    and it was even a stretch for him to be a Republican that supported civil unions. I’m so glad he saw that it was separate-but-equal nonsense and went this extra step.
    “I could not bring myself to tell an entire group of people in our community that they were less important, less worthy, or less deserving…” there it is. man that’s a good quote. I live in Maryland and I’m really disappointed in the Court of Appeals decision too. at least San Diego is taking a step in the right direction.

  21. His wife doesn’t look horrified to me– just concerned about him. That seems totally consistent with the fact that, throughout this, he is so obviously thinking of how much he loves his daughter, and how close their family must be. I’m sure I would disagree with Sanders about many, many issues, but his willingness to go public with his change of heart is very touching. After all, he could have just signed it in private, lied about why if asked, and moved on.

    Shakes Sis had an address to send him a message of support:

    jerrysanders@sandiego.gov

    He seems like the kind of guy who would appreciate that gesture.

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