So today in his state of Missouri address, Governor Jay Nixon said that he believes that LGBT discrimination is wrong, and that MONA (Would make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT employees/tenants) and marriage equality are two things that he believes should be done in the state of Missouri. This is a bit of change of stance from five years ago when he ran in '08, when he said he does not support SSM per se (It was believed he supported civil unions), and had no stance on LGBT workplace discrimination at the time. It got me to thinking whether he actually supports these things and had a real change of heart, or only does so because polls reflect it (71% of MO voters support LGBT protections, and 62% support at least civil unions). I honestly think he had a change of heart, but even if it was the latter, I still think it's good news we added another person to the side of equality. Which brings me to my question. When someone says they support LGBT rights, do you care what their reasoning is behind it? Or do you just take any support as good support?
When someone says that they support LGBT rights when he/she has been opposed to them, I'll definitely ask, otherwise, I just take it as a support and that's it.
I'm that much of a cynic to think that this is poll related than a genuine change of heart. I'll still take it though.
I will take what I can get and run. I am sure even Obama had a lot of political calculus done to see how his stance on gay marriage would fare. Is it cynical? Yes. Does it bother me? Yes. Does it bother me enough to get upset? No
I don't even call myself cynical, but I doubt I'd ever fully trust a politician. But you take what you can get in this situation.
My mother is 77 years old. She was definitely raised in an age and by parents that were anti-anything different at all. She was raised that people of different colors should not mix. She herself was attracted to African American and Hispanic actors and musicians when I was a kid, but probably would never have dreamed of actually dating a person who was not white. When my sister started dating men of color my mom was concerned about her safety in a very nasty area of the country but supported her daughters right to love who she loved. Advance a quarter of a century or so and my mother had another shock to her "the way I was raised" life view. My 12 year old daughter come out as bisexual. My mom handled it magnificently. She said "okay, I love you." Now believe me I know for a fact that a few decades ago she was so very not supportive of anyone LGBT. Sometimes people live and see and hear and learn and change. Sometimes a shock to the system (like someone you love coming out to you) is required and other times life just shows you a new take on something that you had not really thought through before. A politician - well - they are politicians. I would never completely trust any of them to be anything more than a politician out for their own ends. If their new stance helps a cause I care about and they are not completely repulsive on other issues then I say take a win as a win.
I do think it is quite hypocritical, but if are to give the benefit of a doubt, people sometimes get to change... I'm not sure which is it, however, as others have pointed out, I can never fully trust a politician, maybe he's in just to gain support and votes, maybe he's genuine (which I kind of doubt), but if his stance will help facilitate for marriage equality to be introduced in Missouri, I guess his stance could mean a good thing. Just my toughts.
To me, it's all about getting votes and making money. I don't really feel politicians care for any part of society or genuinely want to correct injustices. I mean, maybe a few, but probably not the majority of them. However, equality is equality. I want to get married someday. I don't care how equality is achieved or who causes it to be achieved. I only care that it happens.
