These Times We Live In

I know it’s been quite some time since your humble correspondent updated (what? I’ve been sick, gimme a break), and I’ll in the coming days, but this little ditty caught my eye and I just couldn’t resist commenting on it.

So, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you may have heard that a conservative Republican state legislator, Roy Ashburn, recently came out of the closet. After being caught driving drunk in Sacramento. In his state-provided vehicle. Having just left a gay bar. With an unidentified “male companion” in the car. And having spent his entire legislative career voting against every possible law that could grant even a shred of dignity or equality to gays and lesbians.

So, that’s fun. Sort of makes you think of that ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”

Never mind Ashburn’s political future. He crossed the aisle to vote for tax increases last year, which means his career in the Republican Party is over, plain and simple. Coming out as an open homosexual isn’t even the nail in the coffin; the coffin’s already met its nail quota, with some left over to spare.

What I’m interested in are the reactions of Ashburn’s constituents. A brave San Francisco Chronicle writer ventured into the heart of his district, in Bakersfield, where I’m sure a Bay Area news reporter feels right at home, to ask everyday folks what they thought of their state senator. Generally, the reaction was favorable, and by “favorable,” I mean that no one particularly seemed to want to tar and feather the man.

Interviewed in a bar, 68-year-old country singer Bad Blake - err, Mel Lawrence - gave Ashburn credit for voting “more or less, along Kern County lines.” Good to hear that voting along Kern County lines means opposing same-sex marriage, civil unions, health benefits for domestic partners, and hate crimes legislation.

In the same bar – I’m guessing over a shot of Jack or a can of Pabst, but the article doesn’t specify – a 29-year-old former marine named Vince Edwards admitted that he was “just prejudiced against gays. I’m just not comfortable with them.”

All I want to know is: what’s Vince going to say to his children and grandchildren in 40 years when gays have full equality everywhere in the United States? Is he going to be the mid-21st-century equivalent of that racist old grandpa every other white family seems to have? Are his children going to read what Dad said in the newspaper (not that future generations are going to have any idea what a newspaper was) with pride? This guy couldn’t even bring himself to (lie and) say that he’s okay with gays, just not with same-sex marriage or adoption, a refrain that seems to pop up a lot in conservative areas. No, he straight up admitted to being prejudiced against them.

I appreciate your service, Vince. But it doesn't excuse your bigotry.