Senator Rob Portman made news headlines when he renounced his recalcitrant position on same –sex marriage to support his son, Will, who is gay. Since revealing that he was repentant, oh sorry, “born again,” has elicited different opinions in various media fora leading some opinion leaders to wonder, “Is Portman also among the Prophets?” borrowing the biblical parlance attributed to Saul, a newly anointed King of Israel, found unexpectedly and unusually amidst the prophets up to prophesying with them (1 Samuel 10.11).
As expected, these schools of thought dished out different strokes for different folks based on personal, political and moral tilting or affiliation. No matter what positions any of them leans towards, the decision by this popular but repented republican senator from Ohio has come to stay and will remain with us for many years to come. Hence forth, Senator Rob Portman’s opinion or viewpoints on traditional marriage, same-sex marriage and gay rights will be referenced, cited, praised, loved, hated, satirized, poked at, exhumed and debated in American polity now and in years to come. I bet you, it’s not going away too soon.
Let us dissect the meaning of Senator Portman’s switch from ‘Nay to Yeah,’ from different perspectives: father, politics, human rights, religion and moral.
As a father and family man, who loves and cares about his children, especially his son Will, in this instance, Senator Portman deserves every respect, recognition and accolades for his decision. Family first is the way to go. Family units are the first point of socialization, schooling and the springboard to politics and national limelight. If you doubt and query the senator’s decision to support his own child who is gay, please help me to answer this question by Jesus Christ himself in the bible (Matthew 7:9-10), “Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?” Will knocked on his father’s inner conscience and the Senator opened his arms to him. The 21 year old further sought his father’s support. The Senator also showered him with his agape love and bonding. That’s being a warm father to a beloved son.
On the political terrain, between the republicans and democrats, the Senator’s position, as already noted, will not go away too soon. It is a welcome development by the democrats and a huge sell-out or a betrayal and disappointment to the republicans, especially the hardcore ones bathed in the broth of the party’s barbecue. Ask former Senator Rick Santorum or the former speaker of the House of Representative, Newt Gingrich, they will confirm this. Rob Portman’s change of heart would probably influence voting decisions by some American electorates in the near future, especially those who love and support the Senator. This decision may make or mare elections and votes to the republicans. Questions will be raised about what informs and influences political decisions and legislations among elected representatives, personal interest or grassroots rights – common man. Why do politicians support issues of national importance such as same-sex marriage, human rights (gay rights), Healthcare, economic matters and therefore hinge their political and legislative decisions based on strong and deep rooted party affiliation other than the communal well being of the voiceless common man who would stand in the sun, rain and snow to see them campaign and eventually cast their votes. Some fight voting deprivation up to being arrested, beaten and jailed while trying to vote for some politicians who don’t care about them but their party loyalty.
Again, some politicians have shown that unless their innate personal interest is served, they will continue to toe party lines and never support any good legislation or programs, which would benefit majority of the grassroots. This brings to mind, “Would Senator Portman have changed his mind to support same-sex union or gay rights if his son wasn’t a gay?” Would he have made equally extensive moral, religious and intellectual analysis and shown as much compassion and support to same-sex marriage as he has been reported in various media – interview with CNN's Dana Bash- One conservative's dramatic reversal on gay marriage, ABC news- Republican Rob Portman Supports Gay Marriage, New Yorker (blog) - Rob Portman and His Brave, Gay Son, CBS news - Sen. Rob Portman backs same-sex marriage, Op-Ed in the Columbus Dispatch, and even The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest newspaper. What happens to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which Senator Portman, as a congressman, backed in 1996? The Supreme Court is about to hear a challenge to this case later this month. Would the Senator make a U-turn now? I leave the answer and comment to the readers.
Human rights, particularly, gay rights have been served since Senator Portman became penitent. The gay community now has a powerful support and possibly advocate to their course. The decision buys into the mission of “Grassroots Rights Advocacy (GRAD), an NGO, which is, “Power belongs to the peoples.” No matter how powerful you become, it is based on grassroots’ support. If the united common man denies their votes to the powerful, then the power ceases to exist.
Lastly, those in ecclesiastical calling and moralists, who believe in the sanctity of marriage strictly between opposite sexes will be disappointed. To them same-sex marriage is nothing but Sodomy, sin, immorality, which defiles God’s laws and societal norm.
It’s high time the high and mighty politicians, who make laws, which to a large extent, affect, influence, determine and steer the common man’s rights, means of livelihood and health, think about the grassroots before and beyond party loyalty. May be, the decision of the repentant Rob Portman might lead him and other zealot party loyalists to rethink and recall the laws which only serve personal interest and not the grassroots.
Senator Rob Portman made news headlines when he renounced his recalcitrant position on same –sex marriage to support his son, Will, who is gay. Since revealing that he was repentant, oh sorry, “born again,” has elicited different opinions in various media fora leading some opinion leaders to wonder, “Is Portman also among the Prophets?” borrowing the biblical parlance attributed to Saul, a newly anointed King of Israel, found unexpectedly and unusually amidst the prophets up to prophesying with them (1 Samuel 10.11).
As expected, these schools of thought dished out different strokes for different folks based on personal, political and moral tilting or affiliation. No matter what positions any of them leans towards, the decision by this popular but repented republican senator from Ohio has come to stay and will remain with us for many years to come. Hence forth, Senator Rob Portman’s opinion or viewpoints on traditional marriage, same-sex marriage and gay rights will be referenced, cited, praised, loved, hated, satirized, poked at, exhumed and debated in American polity now and in years to come. I bet you, it’s not going away too soon.
Let us dissect the meaning of Senator Portman’s switch from ‘Nay to Yeah,’ from different perspectives: father, politics, human rights, religion and moral.
As a father and family man, who loves and cares about his children, especially his son Will, in this instance, Senator Portman deserves every respect, recognition and accolades for his decision. Family first is the way to go. Family units are the first point of socialization, schooling and the springboard to politics and national limelight. If you doubt and query the senator’s decision to support his own child who is gay, please help me to answer this question by Jesus Christ himself in the bible (Matthew 7:9-10), “Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?” Will knocked on his father’s inner conscience and the Senator opened his arms to him. The 21 year old further sought his father’s support. The Senator also showered him with his agape love and bonding. That’s being a warm father to a beloved son.
On the political terrain, between the republicans and democrats, the Senator’s position, as already noted, will not go away too soon. It is a welcome development by the democrats and a huge sell-out or a betrayal and disappointment to the republicans, especially the hardcore ones bathed in the broth of the party’s barbecue. Ask former Senator Rick Santorum or the former speaker of the House of Representative, Newt Gingrich, they will confirm this. Rob Portman’s change of heart would probably influence voting decisions by some American electorates in the near future, especially those who love and support the Senator. This decision may make or mare elections and votes to the republicans. Questions will be raised about what informs and influences political decisions and legislations among elected representatives, personal interest or grassroots rights – common man. Why do politicians support issues of national importance such as same-sex marriage, human rights (gay rights), Healthcare, economic matters and therefore hinge their political and legislative decisions based on strong and deep rooted party affiliation other than the communal well being of the voiceless common man who would stand in the sun, rain and snow to see them campaign and eventually cast their votes. Some fight voting deprivation up to being arrested, beaten and jailed while trying to vote for some politicians who don’t care about them but their party loyalty.Again, some politicians have shown that unless their innate personal interest is served, they will continue to toe party lines and never support any good legislation or programs, which would benefit majority of the grassroots. This brings to mind, “Would Senator Portman have changed his mind to support same-sex union or gay rights if his son wasn’t a gay?” Would he have made equally extensive moral, religious and intellectual analysis and shown as much compassion and support to same-sex marriage as he has been reported in various media – interview with CNN's Dana Bash- One conservative's dramatic reversal on gay marriage, ABC news- Republican Rob Portman Supports Gay Marriage, New Yorker (blog) - Rob Portman and His Brave, Gay Son, CBS news - Sen. Rob Portman backs same-sex marriage, and the Op-Ed in the Columbus DispatchWhat happens to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which Senator Portman, as a congressman, backed in 1996? The Supreme Court is about to hear a challenge to this case later this month. Would the Senator make a U-turn now? I leave the answer and comment to the readers.
Human rights, particularly, gay rights have been served since Senator Portman became penitent. The gay community now has a powerful support and possibly advocate to their course. The decision buys into the mission of “Grassroots Rights Advocacy (GRAD), an NGO, which is, “Power belongs to the peoples.” No matter how powerful you become, it is based on grassroots’ support. If the united common man denies their votes to the powerful, then the power ceases to exist.
Lastly, those in ecclesiastical calling and moralists, who believe in the sanctity of marriage strictly between opposite sexes will be disappointed. To them same-sex marriage is nothing but Sodomy, sin, immorality, which defiles God’s laws and societal norm.
It’s high time the high and mighty politicians, who make laws, which to a large extent, affect, influence, determine and steer the common man’s rights, means of livelihood and health, think about the grassroots before and beyond party loyalty. May be, the decision of the repentant Rob Portman might lead him and other zealot party loyalists to rethink and recall the laws which only serve personal interest and not the grassroots.
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