Better Late than Never

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Retiring and recently outed California State Senator Roy Ashburn pens an op-ed:

I am sincerely sorry for the votes I cast and the actions I took that harmed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Just as important to me, I am sorry for not stepping forward and speaking up as an elected official on behalf of equal treatment for all people. ...

To me, Republican principles hold that each individual is special and unique; each individual should have the maximum freedom and opportunity under our Constitution; that government has no business in the private lives of our citizens. If these truly are the guiding values of Republicans-how did we ever get into the situation where my party is viewed as the anti-gay-rights party? Well, maybe because Republicans, including myself, have voted and acted to oppose equality and freedom for gay people.

8 Comments for “Better Late than Never”

  1. posted by Throbert McGee on

    I am sincerely sorry for each and every time I defended Roy Ashburn on the grounds that his votes against “gay rights” measures might theoretically have been based on something resembling principled libertarianism.

    Evidently, he voted against those measures so that his constituents would luuuurv him, and now repudiates those same votes so that the LGBT Community will luuuurv him.

  2. posted by BobN on

    Wow. How brave. An op-ed at gaypolitics.com.

    I guess a sitting member of the California Senate Republican caucus can’t find a, say, Republican outlet for his apology. Not enough clout or a high enough profile, I guess.

  3. posted by Throbert McGee on

    Well, at least BobN and I can agree to be unimpressed by Ashburn’s statement!

  4. posted by Jorge on

    I’ll give him some benefit of the doubt, but I’m not keen on listening to him either.

  5. posted by Bobby on

    “Evidently, he voted against those measures so that his constituents would luuuurv him, and now repudiates those same votes so that the LGBT Community will luuuurv him.”

    —He’s wasting his time, it’s not a community that loves you, it’s individuals. You look at any community and you will find infighting, all Ashburn can do is keep going to the same gay bars he goes, maybe attend an LCR meeting, and perhaps write a book about his experiences in public office.

  6. posted by BobN on

    Well, at least BobN and I can agree to be unimpressed by Ashburn’s statement!

    His statement is fine, even refreshingly honest, I suppose. It’s his choice of audience I have a problem with.

  7. posted by North Dallas Thirty on

    So let’s see. He lies to his family, he lies to his constituents, and he lies to society, and then claims he’s speaking truthfully.

    Jim McGreevey Part II: Can’t Buy Me Love.

  8. posted by Leo Dashuta on

    Honesty is the best policy.

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