Pass it On
Sometimes– and it’s pretty rare– but sometimes, I’m proven wrong about people. Sometimes, humanity mocks my cynicism with the good actions of true people. This man is one of them:
I cannot adequately put to words how glad I am to be proven wrong in this way. This man has demonstrated remarkable courage, resolve, and righteousness. The sort of bravery we’ve just witnessed in this video is very nearly unheard of in today’s politics; he deserves all of our respect and unmitigated admiration for standing up in the face of adversity and doing the most unpopular act imaginable: “flip-flopping” on an issue in order to support gay rights.
San Diego, which he represents, has strong conservative values. They’re one of the major Californian cities in favor of Proposition 8 (a proposition that would amend the California state constitution to say that marriage is only between a man and a woman). He has risked his career, his entire life’s work, and not least of all, (unfortunately) he’s also likely to have lost the respect of his conservative constituents. So for once, I’m not here to bitch about how the political system is failing us– or indeed, how we are failing it. I’m not here to point out stupidity or make snide remarks about politicians’ lack of insight. Today I’m here to point out why those things are sometimes necessary: because right can still defeat wrong, because equality can still defeat bigotry, because there is still love and justice left in this country and those thing can defeat the worst among us… but because it’s only when we speak up that they ever do.
/Elysa.
