Is this hypocrisy, Republican politics
du jour, or just a man
whose "sacred values" only apply to other families, and not his own ?
NY Times
By JEREMY W. PETERS
Published: March 15, 2013
G.O.P. Senator Says He Has a Gay Son, and Backs Gay Marriage
Quote:
WASHINGTON — Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, a rising national star in the Republican Party,
announced on Friday that he has a gay son and could no longer justify his opposition to same-sex marriage.
<snip>
In a series of interviews and an op-ed article published in The Columbus Dispatch,
Mr. Portman, at times nervously wringing his hands, said that he did not want his son Will,
who is 21, treated any differently because of his sexuality.
<snip>
Mr. Portman was a sponsor of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act
that is now being reviewed by the Supreme Court, with arguments scheduled for this month.
That case, he said, was a factor in his decision to speak out.<snip>
“At the time, my position on marriage for same-sex couples was rooted
in my faith tradition that marriage is a sacred bond between a man and a woman,” he wrote in the op-ed.
“Knowing that my son is gay prompted me to consider the issue from another perspective.”
<snip>
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I realize this is how things often work in legislatures...
a person is elected to office and then is confronted by a situation in their own family.
and is then willing to change their support for particular legislation.
I have seen this happen with funding for research and/or support
for rare diseases, mental health services, suicides, etc.
I am very glad Senator Portman has changed his mind,
but at the same time it makes me angry that he did not think
about the children of other parents when he advocated for DOM.
Then again, maybe Mr Portman is being used this time
as a stalking horse by the Republican leadership.
.