It really pulls at the heart strings when you read a letter like this one, and it gets the appropriate response. The other day, there was a diary about the Heartbreaking letter from dad disowning his gay son, which demonstrated that not all parents can let their love for their child triumph over the hate they have been taught. We do have to remember, though, that love often does triumph too.

A letter by a 40-year-old Gay man to his Romney-supporting father has been posted at Reddit. As you know, Mitt Romney has stated a position opposing gay marriage. You can read the entire letter at the link. Here is an excerpt:



Though your public support for Romney doesn’t surprise me, given how open you’ve been about your dislike of President Obama, it does bother me. Since coming out to you and mom nineteen years ago, I’ve watched you vote for the Republican candidates in every major race. Save for the occasional mealtime argument or sarcastic Fox News barb, I’ve held my tongue, despite the hurt and anger that came from watching you vote for a party that has made a sport out of demonizing gay and lesbian people, like me, for political gain. I did so because I never had a solid enough argument that the Democratic Party was wholly different. They often stopped short of institutionalizing discrimination of gays, but were sadly lax on standing on principle and advocating for its eradication. Until now. (snip) In any other election, given any other choice, I’d stay quiet. If you, and others like you, wanted to believe the worst about Obama – a good man, trying to do good work – and vote against your interests (Romney’s tax and Medicare plans won’t help you), I’d shake my head in wonder and watch you do it anyway. But this isn’t any other election. This election presents a clear choice between two people whose policy beliefs directly affect the course of my life. Let me be clear: A vote for Mitt Romney is a vote against me. There is no argument to counter that fact. You might want to argue that you’re not a single-issue voter, but when the single-issue is your own son’s equality under the law, I wouldn’t recommend that argument. You might want to argue that, because you live in New York State, your vote won’t ultimately matter since Obama will carry the state anyway. You’re correct. He will. In that way, I suppose, your vote won’t matter. But it matters to me. You might want to argue just because you don’t like the idea of your son telling you what you ought to do. But, whatever else, you know I’m a good man. It’s been said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing;” and I’m a good man who’s never been good at that.

EDIT: My dad's reply, in part: "I will honor your request because you are my son and I love you. I do support the democratic position on gay marriage...I hope this is a position that they really stand for and not just a political statement for votes."

The happy ending. There was a post script to the post: