Peggy Noonan, spot on as always.

It starts already, with two Democrats filling the airwaves with ads. I will qualify the following in that I don’t really know much about either of these two guys beyond their ads.

The first one I saw was from current California State Controller Steve Westley. Villified in some parts of his own party for committing the insufferable offense of actually trying to work with the Republican governor, the first ad of his I have seen, “Connect”, was introductory, quiet, stressed his business acumen (as a former eBay Sr. VP of Marketing) and accomplishments, and was generally very positive – hopeful even.

Next up is CA State Treasurer Phil Angelides. Go to his web site and right away you see your first glaring red flag. Then you watch his ad, “Deeply Believe”, and come away asking “believe in what, exactly?”

Bottom line: Barbara Boxer likes me and I opposed everything Arnold.

Inspiring.

I have no idea who I will be voting for. Arnold has been quite the disappointment, even with credit points for battling a state legislature dominated by hostile Democrats (you know the type – see Phil Angelides).

After watching these two ads, I am pretty sure which of the two I won’t be voting for.

I posted this in the comments section at Towle Road in response to being called an “Uncle Tom” by one of the visitors to that site. It may seem silly, but the point needs to be made.

I am 35 and have been out since I was 20. Was does it say to you that in 15 years the most intolerant and hateful things that have ever been said to me did not come from Republicans speaking about the fact that I was gay but from Democrats speaking about the fact I am a Republican?

What does it say to you that my Republican parents and Republican sisters and their Republican husbands flew half-way across the country to spend Christmas with their Republican son/brother and his Republican partner and his Republican parents after never having met them or any person that I have ever dated?

What does it say to you that my Republican father, the same man that 15 years ago said I was mentally ill and needed help and that he would never accept his gay son hugged my partner at the airport when we dropped them off and said, “next year is at our house” and left me a note saying “We had a GREAT time”?

It says to me that people like Jimmyboyo (see comments section) haven’t got the first clue what true acceptance, tolerance and diversity really mean and that they are angy – angry at those that refuse to accept them and angy at those they percieve to be the cause.

“They will never accept you” – True, some will not, no more than people like Jimmyboyo will accept the opinion of a gay Republican. But the people that truly matter in my life already have and maybe, in the end, that is what is missing from the lives of people so appalled with those of us that refuse to simply toe the party line because we’re gay and it is expected.

To them I say get the mirror out and take a good, long look. Your problem isn’t with gay Republicans, the religious right, or anyone else; the problem lies in the image staring back at you in that mirror.