When I saw this picture of Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice swearing in Mark Dybul as the United States’ Global AIDS Coordinator, a position that carries the rank of ambassador, I was thrilled. Why? Because Mark Dybul is an openly gay man and the other man in the picture (holding the bible) is his partner, Jason Claire. And it gets better. With the First Lady Laura Bush looking on:
[Condoleeza Rice refers] to Claire’s mother, who was also present, as Dybul’s “mother-in-law,” Rice commented, “You have a wonderful family to support you, Mark.” Dybul is the third openly homosexual ambassador to serve in the US.
Now how’s that for not only acknowledging Mark’s partner, but also the importance of the family ties that come with his commitment to his partner? I was so encouraged that I actually began to wonder if the Republican Party was turning a corner on gay issues.
But alas it took a headline like this to knock me back into reality:
Rice's 'Mother-in-Law' Comment Raises Conservative Hackles:
(AgapePress) - A spokesman for a family-advocacy group in Washington, DC, is expressing disgust with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's swearing in of an openly homosexual man as global AIDS coordinator -- and in particular, with comments she made at the ceremony.
**sigh**
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