Change of Heart

Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) — long an opponent of Gay Marriage, has done a one-eighty and now supports it. Why? Because he found out his son is gay and as he says, "he [the son] was still the same person he'd always been. The only difference was that now we had a more complete picture of the son we love."

Folks who believe Gay Marriage is no big deal and that opposing it is wrong seem to be having two reactions today to Senator Portman's turnabout. One is that whatever his reasons, it's good to have him on the right side. Same-Sex Wedlock is becoming increasingly inevitable across the country and maybe the conversion of a guy like Portman will ease the trauma for its opponents and speed up the process a little. I honestly believe we will see the day when those who now campaign against it will not only accept it as harmless but, like many who once opposed racial integration, will try to pretend they were never really against it in the first place.

So that's one view from the side of those who favor allowing Gay Marriage. Another is that someone like Senator Portman ought to have enough selflessness and empathy to get to that kind of awareness without it coming into their own homes like that. It's like, "Are you not going to favor medical research to cure certain diseases until someone in your family contracts one of those diseases?" Moral and political positions aren't supposed to be something you only take when they'll benefit you.

In the case of the Senator, I think I have both these views plus this one: It's really, really awkward and it makes you look like kind of a prick to deny equality to your own kid. It can sure make for some uncomfortable press conferences and interviews…and while there are those who might applaud it as a matter of principle, even some who pray to stop Gay Marriage would think less of you as a human being. At least, they'd be willing to give you a pass on this issue. There are folks out there who think Dick Cheney is the best thing that ever happened to Washington. Virtually all of them oppose Gay Rights and I never heard one of 'em lose respect for Cheney because, due to his gay daughter, he didn't.