Conservative senator changes stance on gay marriage

[Cheshire Cat]

This is interesting in more ways than one.  The positive is that this Senator changed his view to one supporting gay marriage when his son comes out as gay.  The not so good is that he did not have the depth of understanding to support such rights until he found out his child was gay. 

Conservative senator changes stance on gay marriage
WASHINGTON (CNN) -

You probably recognize Sen. Rob Portman from his tireless campaigning for Mitt Romney in 2012. He was even on the short list to be Romney's running mate.
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He's been a leading Republican voice on economic issues for four decades.

Now, the prominent Ohio conservative will be known for something else: reversing his hardline position against gay marriage.

He invited CNN to his Senate office to reveal the news.

"I'm announcing today a change of heart on an issue that a lot of people feel strongly about that has to do with gay couples' opportunity to marry," Portman told CNN.

It has to do with another revelation, one deeply personal. His 21-year-old son, Will, is gay.

http://www.news4jax.com/politics/presidential-election-results/Ohio-conservative-has-change-of-heart-on-gay-marriage/-/17249282/19326220/-/9qjn6y/-/index.html

[ben says]

The not so good is that he did not have the depth of understanding to support such rights until he found out his child was gay. 

+1

This seems to be the issue with most Republicans on gay marriage (Cheney, too). Unless it effects them, they don't care.

[ProjectMaximus]

the comments on the news4jax site sure make me sad

[Cheshire Cat]

the comments on the news4jax site sure make me sad

Don't ever read them or the ones on Jax.com.  Generally ignorant and hateful rants.

[Cheshire Cat]

Great dad!


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/15/dads-note-to-son-coming-out_n_2883194.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices

[Tacachale]

The not so good is that he did not have the depth of understanding to support such rights until he found out his child was gay. 

+1

This seems to be the issue with most Republicans on gay marriage (Cheney, too). Unless it effects them, they don't care.

This is the case with a lot of people. They don't realize how hurtful such positions are until they realize how they affect people they care about. Fortunately, more and more people are changing their views rather than alienating their loved ones. We need more like this.

[Jaxson]

This is where empathy matters in politics.  Why do we have to wait until an issue hits home before we take a more reasoned view on an issue?  That said, kudos to Senator Portman for being open about such a personal and private matter.

[ubben]

I wonder if Mayor Alvin Brown, who has benefitted so much from the civil rights movement and as of yet has shown no interest whatsoever in extending the same benefits he enjoys to the LGBT community of Jacksonville, bothered to read this important news story.

Since a majority of our City Council can't read as it is, I'm pretty sure they didn't...

[jcjohnpaint]

I have a feeling the Republican party is going to split into something new, or create distance from the extreme. 

[vicupstate]

The not so good is that he did not have the depth of understanding to support such rights until he found out his child was gay. 

+1

This seems to be the issue with most Republicans on gay marriage (Cheney, too). Unless it effects them, they don't care.

Substitute the words 'gay marriage' for 'poverty', or 'having no health care', or 'suffering discrimination' and the sentence still applies.  Which is why they are heading toward insignificance or extinction.

[Cheshire Cat]

The Republican Party certainly has it's work cut out.  Check out this conversation in Maryland via a man who is clearly a plant and see just how much is left to do.

People both in and outside the Republican party should understand that folks are looking for real change as opposed to posturing and soundbites.  So far many of their efforts to change the face of the party have been shallow and transparent.  They have got to do better or continue to slide in the arena of politics.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/03/15/1729331/cpac-slavery-minority-outreach/?mobile=nc

[Cheshire Cat]

Hillary Clinton speaks in support of the right of the GLBT community to legally marry as Americans.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/18/17358724-hillary-clinton-announces-support-for-marriage-equality?fb_action_ids=10152733340000651&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=AddThis_Blogs&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%2210152733340000651%22%3A263188290483090}&action_type_map={%2210152733340000651%22%3A%22og.recommends%22}&action_ref_map={%2210152733340000651%22%3A%22AddThis_Blogs%22}

[ronchamblin]

Isn’t it interesting how long it takes a society to right wrongs.  Look at the end of the divine right of kings, the end of slavery, the freedom to worship or not worship as one pleases - called freedom of religion, the repeal of prohibition, the women’s right to vote, the civil rights legislation, the freedom to teach evolution, the freedoms coming to the LGBT population, and the coming freedom to smoke marijuana.  And there are others.

Look at the decades and even centuries during which entire populations and minorities have suffered the injustices and unfair laws generated or allowed by the ignorant prejudiced and the privileged within the various societies.  And this budding new freedom to be with whomever one wants - same sex or not - and even to marry, is something I could not have imagined even ten years ago.  But it makes sense.  Who is anybody, or any institution, to tell another, that he or she must not be in a same sex union?  What harm is done to society by this union?  I cannot think of any.  It’s called one’s preference, and one’s freedom.

“Freedom” is the important issue, the common theme in all of the above changes in societies over recent decades.         


"Chuck Norris has Braille on his boots so that even blind people will know what's coming."