One Conscience at a Time

I just came across a post over at T-Sinister about San Diego mayor Jerry Sander's change of heart on gay marriage. The San Diego city council recently issued a resolution in support of gay marriage and the mayor had the option of vetoing. After much hand-wringing, this is what he concluded:

“In the end, I could not look any of them in the face and tell them that their relationships, their very lives, were any less meaningful than the marriage that I share with my wife, Rana,” Sanders said. “I’ve decided to lead with my heart. . . to take a stand on behalf of equality and social justice,”

This is remarkable for two reasons:

1. He is an elected Republican who took a pledge to resist gay marriage during his campaign.

2. San Diego is the 8th largest city in the nation.

It's always nice to see the world the world improve one conscience at a time.

I think we're going to make some huge strides on this issue very soon. Why? Because people are embarrassed at their own actions. Mayors and legislators are embarrassed when they have to go to a cocktail party and tell their gay friends why they're incapable as humans of entering into this human institution.

Fathers are embarrassed when they have to explain to their gay daughter why society is better off if she is legally discriminated against.

By the way, that was exactly the case in this situation. Jerry Sanders found out his daughter was gay and. . . (presto!), his opinion changed.

I almost wish that wasn't the case; that he would have made this kind of decision without an immediate family member directly affecting it. Because if that's what it takes to change minds, a legislator having a gay son or daughter, this might take longer than I think.

But I suppose the purity of Larson's reasons are probably beside the point. Cornucopia, the Horn of Plenty applauds him for taking a stand for social justice.