Teddy Kennedy, who died yesterday, was steadfast in his commitment to full civil rights and equality for all Americans.
Gays and lesbians owe a debt of gratitude to Teddy Kennedy. His was a vote that was always cast on the side of equal treatment for gays and lesbians, without hedging or equivocation, and without concern for the political consequences.
Gays and lesbians are not the only Americans who owe Teddy Kennedy a debt of gratitude, of course, and I am not foolish enough to believe that gay and lesbian equality was on the front burner for him, or even close. Nonetheless, his support for equal treatment of gays and lesbians was clear, constant and unequivocal, unlike the support of most liberals and progressives, which comes and goes with the election winds.
Thanks, Teddy. You were a mensch.
1 comments:
As you know, I pay as little attention to politics as I possibly can and devote my quality time to things like The Big Bang Theory and Phineas and Ferb. I have been wondering, however, if the best thing that ever happened to Ted Kennedy was the tragedy at Chappaquiddick. It did not destroy him, but it did destroy any real chance of the presidency. Once he realized that, he was free to do what he saw as the right thing to do. (Perhaps not always in his personal life, but who am I to judge?) As the song said, "Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose."
Having lost the presidential dream, he found himself free to do what no presidential candidate thus far has done: consistently fight the good fight for those who are weak and underserved and unable to fight for themselves.
I can just imagine the horror of all those religious leaders in heaven when Teddy walks into their room.
Assuming any religious leaders have made it in up there.
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