A Republican Assemblywoman from New York says her decision to break from her party to vote last year in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage was, actually, not that big a deal.
Teresa R. Sayward has a gay son. She told the New York Times her decision to break ranks with her party, considered by many a risky vote and possibly ending her political career, was warmly received by constituents of her heavily Republican and Catholic district.
“We did get some of those very heated phone calls and letters as we expected to get,” she told the NY Times in a May 12 story. “But we didn’t get as many as you’d think. We got an excellent reception.” And Sayward also got letters from parents who were afraid to tell anyone their child is gay.
“They decided they were no longer going to be secretive,” Sayward said. “That touched my heart the most.”
FOE
Vito Fossella (Photo by AP)
Someone from under the Big Tent who definitely needs to take a lesson from Sayward is U.S. Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY). Also a Catholic, Fossella voted in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment to ban same-sex marriage and voted against funding for joint adoptions by gay couples. He apparently won’t even go to a family event if his out and proud gay sister, Victoria Fossella, shows up with her partner and children in tow, according to a New York Daily News report.
But Vito recently got caught cheating on his wife and having a child with his mistress. So much for “family values.” Perhaps his sister, or Ms. Sayward and her son, could set him straight.
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