06/20/2008
New Jersey Rep. Rothman 'Gets There' on Marriage Equality
New Jersey Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair Lawn) did a big about-face on marriage equality this week, the North Jersey Record reports:
"This change in position is not because Rothman had a Jim McGreevey moment; Rothman had a Dick Cheney one. One of Rothman's stepdaughters is lesbian. As a former mayor of Englewood, Rothman performed many marriage ceremonies. In a phone interview Wednesday, he said the 'issue of gay marriage has been on my mind' ever since those days. Yet despite his two biological children often telling him that "of course, gay people should be able to be married," he still would respond, 'I'm not there yet.' What got him there was a new marriage, and with it, the addition of three stepchildren to his family. His evolution on same-sex marriage is not unusual. When someone knows an openly gay or lesbian person, his or her views on equality broaden. Rothman is embracing a brave, new lavender world because like any parent, he wants his children to live happy, productive lives. 'Life can be short and hurtful for some,' he said. 'Anytime anyone in the community speaks out against discrimination, it advances the cause of ending discrimination.'"
The times they are a-changin'.
Doblin: Rothman sees a rainbow [north jersey record]
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 1:12 PM EST by Andy in Gay Marriage, New Jersey, News | Permalink
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Hooray! Did someone send him his free coffee mug and welcome kit?
Posted by: crispy | Jun 20, 2008 1:19:44 PM
Reminds me of my mom. She was a gun-ho Bush supporter in 2004, anti-marriage amendment and all. Then I 'came out' to her and my dad and she changed her position. She's still right-leaning but she's definitely softened on gay rights and such.
Posted by: Chas | Jun 20, 2008 1:26:48 PM
I guess any way bigots end up coming to their senses about gay rights ultimately amounts to the same good outcome, but this sort of thinking (or lack of thinking) kind of drives me crazy. Reasonable people should support equality for all even if it doesn't affect them or their close family specifically or directly because it is the logical and decent thing to do. I am not a gay person or the parent of a gay person, but I still managed to figure out all by myself that gay people deserve the same rights that I have--and, for that matter, so do all sorts of other groups of people of which I am also not a member. Why does every homophobe lately seem to need a personal Road to Damascus experience tailored especially for him or her instead of rationally extrapolating from observable fact and recorded history?
This attitude reminds me of the end of the Simpsons episode "Homer's Phobia," guest-starring John Waters:
John: "Well, Homer, I won your respect, and all I had to do was save your life. Now, if every gay man could just do the same, you'd be set."
Homer: "Amen to that!"
Posted by: Thomasina | Jun 20, 2008 3:49:50 PM
Chas, that is kind of my parents story too. They were totally all about the Republican Party. I came out and, over time, they have slowly switched the way they think and are now all about the Democratic Party.
Posted by: Phillip | Jun 21, 2008 9:12:00 PM