Cross Posted from The Fruit Fly:
I read this letter to my husband partner and said; "Ya know what? I'm calling the Senator and pointing this last topic out. This Ken Swecker's comments are out of control."
So, I called. I used words like "Sir" and "No Sir." And I pointed out to the Senator Koering that we've been together for 10 years now. For his legislative aide to say that this topic was a waste of time was a reach that went too far! The Senator agreed and stated that he agreed that the comment was uncalled for and he was going to have his aide write an apology to the public on Monday.
I said; "I told my partner here that Ken Swecker's letter was extremely offensive. Senator, my partner and I have been together for ten years now - and although Mr. Swecker thinks this issue is a "waste of time", I don't think that's right. My relationship with my partner is not a waste of time and that's a horrible thing to say."
He agreed and said he would have Mr. Swecker issue a letter of apology first thing on Monday.
He asked; "You know Mark, you tell me this: Shouldn't I vote for what my constituents tell me? If I ran a poll throughout my district, the people who wouldn't be in favor of this bill far outnumber those who would! Shouldn't I vote the way my constituents want?"
I said; "Senator: I don't think a politician who votes whatever his constituents want makes a very good politician. A good politician has to make tough decisions - and many times, those decisions go against the will of his or her constituents. How I define a good politician is when he or she makes very unpopular decisions and then explains to his or her constituents why it was the right decision!"
He sighed and agreed. I added: "Mr. Senator, your vote for this bill because you're gay yourself is also being disingenuous. You need to vote one what's best for all of Minnesota, and that includes all of people who's lives are affected by this bill!"
He said: "You know, this goes another way too. When I'm down in the Cities and I'm talking to a bunch of gay and lesbian folks and they don't know me. So they ask me what do I do? And I tell them that I work for the state of Minnesota. Then sometimes, they get a little more curious and they ask me what I do and I eventually have to tell them that I'm a state Senator. Then they say; "Oh? DFL?!" and I tell them "No, I"m a Republican". Then all of a sudden, they don't want to talk to me. They have nothing to say to me. So you see...The gay community can be just as bull-headed as the Repubolican Party can! They need to losen up too!"
I laughed and agreed. "We have gay friends who are Republicans and we have a rule: "Don't talk politics!"
He laughed and said; "Exactly! But I'm a politician"
I said; "Senator, there's a point also to be made here and that is your comment that you made regarding gay marriage. You remarked that this gay marriage thing was going too fast and that you felt like you had to push back sometimes. Senator - that's not right either and you really know it. Senator; gay and lesbian people - we proudly wear an upside-down pink triangle because Adolf Hitler and The Nazi Party made people like you and I wear one while thrown into concentration camps. That was sixty-odd years ago Senator! It was forty years ago when the Stonewall Riots happened in New York this coming June. Forty years! Senator, you really need to explain how much slower this issue needs to go because we've been waiting a very long time!"
He agreed and he said he'd think about this bill a lot before he cast his vote.
The Senator and I agreed that the topic of gay marriage should be talked about and that it was completely okay to disagree on the topic. He pointed out: "You know, I don't know how I'm going to vote on that bill - I just might vote yes on it!"
I may have just been the cog that turned on the Great Big Marriage Debate in Minnesota!
Ta Da!!!!! |
