Thursday, February 26, 2004
I admit it. I didn’t vote for Gavin Newsom. He struck me as a helmet-haired pro-development Democrat from Pacific Heights (or Specific Whites, as a friend once called it). Compared to Newsom, Matt Gonzalez seemed like the really cool English professor who’d come to your keggers on the weekends. In other words, Gonzalez didn’t seem like a politician. And about 45% of the city agreed. Which wasn’t quite enough.
And who would have imagined that Mayor Newsom would have the cojones to take on all the knee-jerk conservatives and the gutless Democrats whining about it’s too soon to let gays be full citizens of the United States. In other words, to be a true leader. And in contrast to our “elected” president, Newsom reached out towards the left with this remarkable step, the same left that may not have supported his campaign. Would Matt Gonzalez have the courage or the audacity to try such a feat so soon after election? I’m not savvy enough on local politics to guess. All I can say is that I’m glad, for once, that a guy I didn’t vote became our mayor. And with the help of a multitude of city employees who’ve worked overtime because they believe that gay people deserve the same rights that heterosexuals take for granted, Newsom has married a few thousand couples in the last couple of weeks, a move that has earned the city over $375,000 in license, ceremony, and filing fees, not to mention brought an enormous surge in consumer spending (wedding rings, flowers, limos, photo developing and champagne). I’m proud of my city this week, and my only regret is that I didn’t go down to City Hall to witness the line of couples stretched around the block.
There’s no love lost between Mr. Bush and myself. I can’t say that anything he does surprises me anymore. Which is my way of saying that okay, I won’t look with scorn at Andrew Sullivan and the other gay and moderate conservatives who have decided in the last week to vote against Bush in the next election. But I’m surprised at their surprise. Bush’s politics have always struck me as divisive. Unlike Newson, Bush is not a leader, but a follower. And if there’s any justice left in this country, he’s following the wrong crowd of lemmings. I’m actually grateful to Bush, for taking such an unforgivable step, a step that will make his defeat in November that much sweeter.
