Ever since I've known who John McCain was, I've liked the guy. When he ran for the Republican nomination in 2000, I rooted for him, and I was sad when he lost to George W. Bush.
Even though I supported Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, I was happy that McCain got the Republican nomination, and I figured the country would have been okay in his hands. After all, this was someone who was not only a war hero but was also well known for going against party lines and being being a beacon of bipartisanship.
Unfortunately, those days are long gone. Last week, the Senate finally repealed the homophobic "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the military.
This was a great day for America, and for civil rights, but it was no thanks to the senior senator from Arizona.
Not only did he vote against the bill; he called it a "sad day for America." To me, this was unforgivable. McCain had long said that he wanted more surveys to be done before he'd support a repeal, and while I disagree with that logic (I think of it as more a human rights issue than he does), I understand his frustration.
Still, to refer to such a large advancement of the gay rights movement as "sad" seems like nothing more than blatant homophobia.
In recent months, McCain had come under quite a bit of fire for his stance on DADT. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart did a bit stating that McCain would be the George Wallace of the gay rights movement; i.e. the guy who drags his feet too long and winds up looking like nothing more than a villain.
At the time, I thought this was unfair. Sure, I disagreed with McCain's stance, but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Just because he willing to give the military more leeway for its (theoretical) homophobia didn't mean he was necessarily homophobic himself.
Now? I've done a complete 180. The fact is, McCain has now posited himself as an enemy of gay rights. His refusal to put aside his partisanship for a moment and just be happy that homosexuals are finally being granted a long deserved right proves to me that McCain is nothing more than a bigot.
Admittedly, the man is not without his positive qualities. His extraordinary service in Vietnam cannot be denied, and for a long time, he really was a maverick who went against typical Republican beliefs. More often than not, he did stand up for what he thought was right. When looking at McCain's legacy, we can't leave this part out.
Still, I can't help feeling that his apparent homophobia throughout the DADT process may play a larger role in determining his legacy than he would like. A career previously marked by heroism and honesty will now be forever tainted by bigotry. What a crying shame.
E-mail: john.hugar@ubspectrum.com
