Free Waltzing at Midnight by Robbi McCoy Page B

comment?”
    Rosie turned to face the camera. “Unfortunately for me and unfortunately for the citizens of Weberstown, that issue has taken precedence over the real issues in this campaign. I haven’t changed my opinion that it’s irrelevant, but a lot of people disagree. They seem to think that my reticence to discuss my sex life is a form of deceit.”
    “So you’re seeing this as a matter of trust between you and the voters?”
    “Yes. I believe people understand what’s important for our city, that they’ll vote fairly and intelligently if they feel trust.
    Because I need and want that trust, I’m now prepared to address the issue of my sexual orientation.”
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    David Foster looked into the camera and raised his eyebrows, a rather comical expression meant to lock the listeners’ attention.
    Then he turned back to Rosie. “So you admit that you’re gay,”
    he said.
    “‘Admit’ is a poor choice of words. I’m not ashamed. Yes, I’m a lesbian. It happens to be one fact about me. I regret very much that it has become the focal point of my campaign because it really has nothing to do with being mayor.”
    “Some people would disagree with that statement, Rosie.
    They point to your association with such people as Catherine Gardiner, whose politics are extreme and unpopular.”
    “My friendship with Catherine occurred many years ago and I never shared her politics. I know that some people equate homosexuality with a certain set of political views, but my politics are strictly my own. They’re no one else’s agenda. My values are the same as other Weberstown residents.” Rosie was insistent and sincere. “I want safe neighborhoods for our children. I want education to be available and effective. I want the arts to flourish.
    I want to reduce crime and homelessness and poverty. I’ve always wanted these things. I’ve always worked hard to achieve them, and my long record of community service proves what I’m about.”
    “So, are you saying that you wouldn’t take a stand on the side of homosexual rights if such an issue arose?”
    “No, I’m not saying that. Obviously, I would be sympathetic to the rights of homosexuals in our community and uphold those rights as the law proscribes, the same way I would anyone’s rights.
    I do believe in civil liberties and I am very much opposed to any type of discrimination against any of our citizens on the basis of gender, race, national origin, age, disability or anything else. And I believe that most people in this town would agree with that.
    However, the hot-button issues that get people really concerned, like gay marriage or gays in the military, are not issues that we would ever deal with at this level of government. When it comes right down to it, as mayor of Weberstown, there’s not much I could do to help the gay rights movement even if that was my only objective for getting voted into office.” She glanced at me 65
     
    and smiled, then turned back to Foster. “Which it isn’t.”
    “But wasn’t it a city mayor who defied state law in two thousand and four and opened his City Hall to gay marriage, allowing over three thousand same-sex couples to wed?”
    Oh, great, I thought. We didn’t see that one coming. I could barely remember any details about that incident myself. I waited to see what Rosie would say.
    “You’re referring to Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco.”
    “Right,” Foster said. “Practically the first thing he did after being elected was order the county clerk to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.”
    “I suppose a mayor can try to do something like that, something that he believes is right, especially if his constituency is going to rally behind him. But, in reality, a mayor doesn’t have the authority to take that kind of action. Same-sex marriage legislation is not a city government issue. All of those marriages were declared invalid by the California Supreme Court in August, two thousand and four, which