Rob Portman Affected By Gay Bigotry

Rob PortmanRob Portman, who has previously supported employers being able to fire people just because they’re gay, has come out in favor of same sex marriage. But don’t get too excited. He has changed his position because he learned that his son is gay. Is that a Republican all over or what?

This morning, Jonathan Chait asks a good question about this, “[W]hy should any of us come away from his conversion trusting that Portman is thinking on any issue about what’s good for all of us, rather than what’s good for himself and the people he knows?” We shouldn’t because he isn’t. This would be like Richard Mourdock saying, “I just learned that my daughter was raped and now I see that rape is always wrong!” Welcome to the party bud, but you’re still a complete asshole.

Last year, I wrote about the Cheneys as they related to this issue. I think this completely sums up what is going on with Portman:

How can these kinds of conservatives look at their entire ideology with this one exception carved out and still maintain their faith (because it is nothing if not pure faith) in the rest of their belief system? Why does it not make them think, “Maybe I’m wrong about all those other things I have no first-hand experience with.” Certainly it is true that the Cheneys would be absolutely against gay rights if it were not for their daughter. How can they continue to think that they would have conservative ideas about welfare if they had any experience with being economically challenged? How can Dick Chaney continue to think that he would be so pro-war if he had not had better things to do than serve in the military during the Vietnam War?

I’m happy to have yet another ally in the fight against bigotry. But it is very clear that in 20 years, gay rights won’t even be an issue between the parties. This is why it is so important to focus on economic issues. Being for gay rights doesn’t make you a liberal; it just makes you a human being. Unfortunately, as Portman shows: Republicans only join the human race when they are directly impacted by the injustices of the world.

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About Frank Moraes

Frank Moraes is a freelance writer and editor online and in print. He is educated as a scientist with a PhD in Atmospheric Physics. He has worked in climate science, remote sensing, throughout the computer industry, and as a college physics instructor. Find out more at About Frank Moraes.

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