It’s always irked me that the Republicans scream for smaller government while trying to legislate what you do with your body and what you do in the bedroom. One would think that true conservatives would like to get the government out of your bedroom altogether, but we know that’s not what they want if we really consider their actions.
But, we know public opinion is swaying our way and history is on our side. Republican Ohio Senator Rob Portman announced on CNN Thursday he has joined the side of Marriage Equality after his son’s coming out.
“I’m announcing today a change of heart on an issue a lot of people feel strongly about. It has to do with gay couples’ opportunity to marry. During my career in the House and also the last few years in the Senate I’ve taken a position against gay marriage rooted in part in my faith and my faith tradition.”
“I had a very personal experience which is my son came to Jane, my wife and I, told us he was gay and that it was not a choice, that’s just part of who he is and that he had been that way since he could remember.” – Sen. Portman in an interview with CNN.
Sen. Portman’s son, Will, celebrated his dad’s announcement with a tweet:
Despite being a Republican, while Sen. Portman always voted against marriage equality, he was never really outspoken about it. With his change of heart, the Log Cabin Republicans have taken this opportunity to celebrate Portman’s decision and continue to push the idea that being gay and being conservative are not mutually exclusive.
LCR executive director Gregory T. Angelo told BuzzFeed:
“If there was any doubt that the conservative logjam on the issue of civil marriage for committed gay and lesbian couples has broken, Senator Portman’s support for the freedom to marry has erased it.”
Like I said before, while the tides are turning in our favor, that is just wishful thinking.
Funny and sad that the GOP sense of fairness and equality doesn’t really strike them until the issue hits close to home. Even then, the epiphany is only on a case-by-case basis.
So true, and it’s slow at getting to this point, since Will came out to him 2 years ago…