Isn’t it wonderful when human rights win out over simply toeing the party line? This is Maureen Walsh, a Republican state representative from Walla Walla, Washington, speaking out beautifully for same-sex marriage rights both as a widow with happy memories of her own marriage, and as the mother of a lesbian daughter, whose marriage she hopes to one day celebrate in kind. It looks like she will get her wish, as Washington state’s same-sex marriage bill passed 55-43 and will be signed into law next week. She was one of two Republicans who did the right thing and voted in . Her daughter must be incredibly proud!
On a related note, today is my best friend’s birthday, and I imagine that hearing news like this must be like an extra-special present for him and his hubby. When same-sex marriage sanity came to Canada, they took advantage after more than a decade of being unable to make their union legal. Happy Birthday, Ben.