State senator so horrified by homophobic testimony that he may support marriage equality for gays

[ck4829]

Baltimore County Sen. James Brochin found the testimony Tuesday by opponents of gay marriage "troubling," and said this morning that he may support the bill. The Baltimore County Democrat had previously said he was against same-sex marriage.

"The demonization of gay families really bothered me," Brochin said. "Are these families going to continue to be treated by the law as second class citizens?"

The change adds Brochin to a group of six other senators who have either not decided how they are going to vote or declined to declare their intentions publicly, according to a Sun review. Twenty senators have said they will support the bill; 24 votes are needed for passage.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/2011/02/brochin_reconsidering_stand_on.html

'Testimony' included:
"Society will collapse!!111!"
"Fathers will want to marry their daughters!!111!"
"Sure, there's no scientific evidence that states that gays are bad parents, but I *BELIEVE* that they are bad parents, and that's what's important, right? RIGHT?!111!"

[Bluenorthwest]

1. Obama and Kaine are opponents. They stand with the troubling

testifiers. That is the fact, they say God Almighty tells them to say that only Straights are Sanctified and they hire hate preachers who declare war on us, accuse us of murder, you name it. A decent person would not stand with nuts, as Brochin is learning today. Obama and Kaine are opponents of equal rights for GLBT people because of what they 'BELIEVE'. Facts be damned.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Sad and true. I wish I could believe in a god that thought...

... I deserved special rights denied to others because of my sexual orientation.

[Divine Discontent]

2. AMEN! When discussion occurs, and people hear the venomous hatred about GLBT people having

marriages, or even a single/couple trying to adopt - then things will continue to change. I sure hope the president will soon change his opinion on the rights of GLBT people to marry and have the same rights that all Straight taxpayers get by being married. Also, I never understood the hate, as a Christian, if some church doesn't want to marry certain couples, hey, go for it, you will have to answer to your congregation, and if they wanna be there in that judgmental place, then fine. But, don't tell people that other churches or institutions (including governmental ones) that two people who wish to form a marital contract cannot be joined in the manner that all others who are Straight are permitted to do, in accordance with the law.

[nlitened]

4. Their own worse enemies are my friends

I knew this would happen. Once the truth was understood & a human face was attached to LGTB the haters wouldsink their own ship. Like the Westboro Baptists, who at this point even the highly antigay VA AG thinks are "homophobic" people like Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown and NOM will be the best advocates for SSM, because no one will want to be associated with the likes of them.

[Ratty]

5. The operative word is "may" support

It's been my experience this usually turns into "won't". But this guy is a Democrat so I give it even odds in this case.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

6. Glad to See...

that at least one person is waking up to the mean-spiritedness of those who oppose marriage equality. Sooner or later the haters usually end up being thought of as the haters and bigots that they are. Since this guy is a Democrat, I give it even odds as well.