Matt Salmon, GOP Congressman, Does Not Support Gay Marriage Despite Gay Son

[Torie]

Quite the unrelenting Moses type there. The path to his heart is a convoluted maze of a priori belief blinding him to what is sitting right in front of him.

[Torie]

Why should he change the law just because it would benefit his son? That seems a terrible way to guide policy. He should do it because it is the right thing to do for everybody.

Yeah, indeed. At least this guy is not one of those types who only have compassion toward people they can relate to. He is consistent in being an asshole.

But that is the thing you see - to get gays in front of these folks, up close and personal, to whom they can relate. And then let the seed of ambivalence be planted, in hopes that its environment may prove fertile, and eventually take root and spring forth into a possible epiphany. Many have made this journey, and many more are destined to, as time goes on.

[Torie]

Why should he change the law just because it would benefit his son? That seems a terrible way to guide policy. He should do it because it is the right thing to do for everybody.

Yeah, indeed. At least this guy is not one of those types who only have compassion toward people they can relate to. He is consistent in being an asshole.

But that is the thing you see - to get gays in front of these folks, up close and personal, to whom they can relate. And then let the seed of ambivalence be planted, in hopes that its environment may prove fertile, and eventually take root and spring forth into a possible epiphany. Many have made this journey, and many more are destined to, as time goes on.

In the long run, I agree that it's a good thing for society. However, at the individual level, I have little esteem for people who only see the light through individual experiences as opposed to through trying to put yourself in the shoes of people you don't personally know.

Walking in the shoes of the other, who are more abstractions than tangible to you, is a learned skill. Lawyers have to learn it to be effective, but most in life get along fine without having to do so. Perhaps you might be setting a bit too high - and unattainable for most -  standard here?

[Torie]

Why should he change the law just because it would benefit his son? That seems a terrible way to guide policy. He should do it because it is the right thing to do for everybody.

Yeah, indeed. At least this guy is not one of those types who only have compassion toward people they can relate to. He is consistent in being an asshole.

But that is the thing you see - to get gays in front of these folks, up close and personal, to whom they can relate. And then let the seed of ambivalence be planted, in hopes that its environment may prove fertile, and eventually take root and spring forth into a possible epiphany. Many have made this journey, and many more are destined to, as time goes on.

In the long run, I agree that it's a good thing for society. However, at the individual level, I have little esteem for people who only see the light through individual experiences as opposed to through trying to put yourself in the shoes of people you don't personally know.

Walking in the shoes of the other, who are more abstractions than tangible to you, is a learned skill. Lawyers have to learn it to be effective, but most in life get along fine without having to do so. Perhaps you might be setting a bit too high - and unattainable for most -  standard here?

Maybe... But if there is just one category of people who should have that skill, it's definitely politicians, since they make laws that affect people they will never get a chance to know personally.

Their skill is generally speaking all about how to get re-elected, and in tandem with that, forging contacts and loyalties facilitating a seamless segue into a nice sinecure after leaving public office, aka "cashing in."

[Torie]

No, it's incoherent jmfcst. Do you want to leave incoherency as the legacy of your cameo appearance?

jmfcst... jmfcst?  Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time... a long time.

What's it been now, about 6 months? 

[Torie]

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Oh, poor Salmon. He is kind of boxed in isn't he?  That is why I have a fondness for Episcopalians. Their rules are just so lax.

[Torie]

The people who are applauding Salmon for holding to being a complete asshole, A) Don't get human nature and how it sometimes requires personal involvement to get someone to care about an issue, and B) Are part of the problem.

Very well said indeed. It should be obvious, but apparently it isn't.