Gay Life Volume 33, Number 16

Last week I received a text message from my husband, Jesse, who was enjoying a beer and a book at a hotel bar out west where he was attending a work conference. The text read:

“I am 3 feet from Texas Governor Rick Perry. Maybe less.”

After I encouraged him to tell thelatest Republican presidential nominee what I do for a living, I hoped that they’d get into a political discussion. I even imagined Jesse convincing Perry that his homophobia is wrong, and most of his beliefs are misguided, that he’d be a happier person and affect positive world change if he’d only adopt a more compassionate outlook. Yes, I can be that naïve.

Jesse said he was nice enough, they even shook hands. Though I found myself strangely disappointed an argument did not ensue. I cannot criticize this act of civility—I regularly avoid confrontation (perhaps it’s why I like to hide behind a keyboard). But I’m reminded that it’s always easy to demonize our enemies. Perhaps incidents  like this serve to remind us that it’s also easy to be civil, sometimes even kind.