You know, we talk an awful lot here about bad cops and the awful things they do. Here is something different for a change:
I’ll fess up. I teared up a little bit.
Even when I was a Republican, I was always pro-choice, in favor of gay rights (although I bought into the civil unions bullshit), and against the death penalty. I just don’t understand how a decent society functions telling people what to do with their bodies or telling their citizenry who they can love or supporting killing citizens. It just makes no sense to me. But like I said, we trash a lot of bad police behavior, so it was so nice, and so refreshing, to watch these guys come forward. And if they save just one kid, it was worth it.
Every time you get down on the world, remember that the good outweighs the bad. The prophets of hate are not going to win. And let the FSM praise Dan Savage for starting all this.
magurakurin
Don’t take this as slagging, John, because you are a stand up guy in my book. But when you were a Republican that was for gay rights, pro-life and anti death penalty who were the Republican politicians that you saw representing these ideals? It seems to me that you have always been a Democrat but just didn’t want to admit it, because I’m 10 years older than you, but I can’t think of any Republican politician that can way in on all three of those and scant few that make it on two or even one. Genuinely curious as who you thought was the go to guy in the GOP on these issues back in the day. Again, I’m not saying this as snark or as an insult in any way. cheers
Constance
Thanks John. I teared up a bit, too.
Yutsano
That. Was. Awesome. :)
Alison
Woot, hometown pride! Well sorta – born and raised in the North Bay Area, and until about a year ago, was an actual SF resident for a few years, so…close enough :)
And I agree that this is probably the best one I’ve seen. What I really like is that these are actual LGBT folks. Some of the celeb videos where it’s a straight person who’s like “OMG I totally got picked on too, like that time I sat in chocolate!” or something just really seemed to miss the point and almost be insulting…as though all forms of teasing and bullying are equal, as though someone who just got picked on a little here and there by one or two jerks knows what,for example, the kids in the Anoka-Hennepin area went through. It started to tick me off that people had pulled the focus from LGBt kids and made it about them instead. So I appreciate the SFPD doing this, quite a lot.
d0n camillo
My favorite part of the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade is always the SFPD and SF County sheriff’s deputies walking hand in hand with their partners.
Mike in NC
Somewhat OT, but I was stationed in the SF Bay area (Mare Island, Vallejo) in 1981 and fell in love with the place. Would move back there in a heartbeat if I could find a job and a house. Literally “Left My Heart in San Francisco” kind of a thing.
hamletta
That was beautiful. And it’s cops! I think that’s important.
Of course SF would lead the way, but it’d be great to see other police forces follow suit.
BethanyAnne
And here today was a hard day, and I was wondering if I would ever manage transition, and if I should even try as I’ll never really “pass”, which means I better enjoy being middle class now, cause I sure won’t be in a few years.
Good to see some folk who’ve done it – I was glad there was one of us in that one.
BethanyAnne
and damn do I miss home. I had to leave Berkeley when the economy ‘sploded, and move back to Houston. But I finally found a job, and I’ve been saving money for about a year, and in about 6 months I get to move back to SF, unless Europe blows up, in which case all bets are off. I want back really really badly.
hamletta
@Mike in NC: It’s magic, innit? My dad grew up there, in a beautiful little house near the Russian Baths.
It’s probably worth millions now.
FuriousPhil
I grew up in a very red part of a midwest blue state. I’ll admit, LGBT issues still put me outside of my comfort zone a bit – even though I’m supportive. There’s a long way to go before gay people in some other parts of the country can be as open and honest as the folks in this video, but I’m certainly more hopeful. Thanks for sharing.
Brandon
I love the SFPD. The have a great long history of wreaking havoc and mayhem in North Beach. When they say “it gets better”, and I see that grin on some of their faces, it is pretty obvious what they are getting at.
MacKenna
The video is superb. A model and example for all police departments.
Lee
I have to give John props on this for figuring it out waaaay before I did.
Before I had kids I did not give a shit about gay people. I did not hate or anything. They were just not on my radar. It was a solid ‘meh’.
Once I had kids I heard the question posed “what if one of YOUR kids is gay” and I started thinking.
I don’t care the gender of the person my child falls in love with. All I want is that person to love and respect them.
freelancer
That was awesome. I’m enthused to see this meme still going strong. As for emboldening the message and keeping the fight up, I suggest everyone check out this TBogg post from last night. Howard Stern goes scorched-earth on homophobes that continue to be granted a national stage.
gex
@magurakurin: This is not a knock on John, it’s just very human. Those aren’t things that he really had to worry about. Taxes, fiscal policy, etc. those are things that affect everyone. Those other things weren’t his problem. There’s a reason the only demo the GOP wins is white males.
slag
Totally with you on this, of course. However, when I was a child of a certain age (I don’t know…around 10 or so), I remember saying to my neighbor who had a gay aunt considering adopting a kid, “But what if she makes the kid gay?”. Such a stupid question on so many levels that it’s hard to even admit I said it. And yet…here so many adult Republicans are…no smarter than a 10 year-old. Tragic, really.
And am I the only one who thinks that keeping people out of the institution of marriage greatly cheapens the institution? Who wants to belong to a segregated club? Nobody I want to know.
Hmm…I must be feeling sentimental tonight. I blame the Muppets–those hippy dippy freaks. I’d marry Rowlf right now just to piss Santorum off.
gex
@magurakurin: I think this gets to the crux of why the only demo the GOP wins is the white male demo.
I am not trying to knock on John. But those issues just aren’t pressing for the straight white men it will never affect.
Nicole
What a lovely video.
I know it’s a long, slow journey towards equality, but it’s really heartening to think of how far we’ve come in the past 15 years, even. Comedy Central was airing the Big Gay Al episode of South Park tonight, and I remember it was a big deal when it first aired-TV Guide wouldn’t list the actual title of the episode, and called it “Big Al’s Boat Ride.” Now it seems kind of quaint.
Martin
That Rolling Stone piece linked from TBoggs site is horrifying. I’m sooooo glad my kids schools have such strong anti-bullying policies. That shit would never, ever be able to happen here.
Michael Demmons
Although this video doesn’t really have anything to do with police work, it would be a good category. Non-shitty cops.
pseudonymous in nc
When you were a Republican, John, you were (for the most part — 9/11 and Iraq kind of made things crazy) in “disagree without being disagreeable” territory. I’ve said it here before, but I think it’ll be a good thing if/when you become a Republican again, because (I hope to all hope) that it’ll suggest that a less crazy politics has arrived in America — and I think you’ll be good at keeping people further to the left than you honest.
There was mention earlier today of all the m4m Craigslist ads surrounding CPAC, and thinking more about it in the context of this video, it makes me want to toss away the partisan stuff about hypocrisy. These are college Republicans and middle-aged GOP stalwarts who have to live in the shadows no less than kids who were brought over the border 18 years ago. The Log Cabin Republicans are persona non grata at CPAC, but for a bunch of gay attendees, away from home and under the banner of “must be discreet”, it’s a brief chance to be who they are. Fear begets fear, bigotry begets bigotry.
The prophet Nostradumbass
@freelancer: That Rolling Stone article is heartbreaking.
The prophet Nostradumbass
I linked to the Rolling Stone article on my Facebook page. I suspect my friends there will think the same as I do, but I wonder if some of my relatives will be annoyed.
Mnemosyne
@The prophet Nostradumbass:
To me, the worst part about that story was that the assholes who forced that policy on the school district not only don’t care how much damage they’ve done to those kids, it sounds like they really do think that the kids who committed suicide are better off dead than alive and gay.
What horrible, evil people they are. Barb Anderson needs to be locked in a prison cell so she can’t harm any more children.
Mnemosyne
Also, too, I think the power of having (some) straight people make “It Gets Better” videos is not to have them talk about how they were bullied, too, but to have them say that it’s not true that straight people will automatically hate you if you’re gay. Not to make it sound like “I totally have gay friends!” but most of us straight people have gay friends and gay relatives that we love and support.
WereBear
I read the article. And they DO think that.
I happened to be reading articles about the struggles of being gay in the Evangelical sub-culture: and yes, teenagers tentatively come out to their parents about being gay and are met with screams of “You’re dead to me!” and “You’re going to hell!”
Not a stretch.
Lojasmo
@magurakurin: Lincoln Chafee, at the time he was governor and senator, held all three of these positions.
mikeg
What astounds me are the many, many Republicans I know who still vote for Republicans. And these are seemingly normal, intelligent friends and neighbors and relatives. I’m not saying Dems are fantastic — I’m just saying: Shouldn’t being complete homophobes disqualify you being electable to public office? How fcked up is our country?
Rafer Janders
Damn you, Cole. Teared up a little bit? I’m wept throughout the entire thing. Now excuse me while I have to go wash my face….
kindness
nice
martrevion
Just wanna say,”Thank you SFPD, so much for your testimonies/shared stories. Awesome video, Thank you Thank you Thank you.
Geeno
@Mnemosyne: I’d kind of like to see one from a former high school bully type saying “and eventually even some of US grow the fuck up – it will get better”
Bailey
Mein Gott, that Rolling Stone article was horrid. Horrid in its detail, not in its publication. And I used to think that the worst thing those people in that district did was continue to elect Michelle Bachman. How little did I know…
Leadpipe
Makes me proud to live in the bay area.