Belated congratulations to Mayor-elect Annise Parker on her election as the first openly gay mayor of a major American city.
When Parker finally appeared at 10:30 p.m., resplendent in a gold pantsuit and pearl necklace, the room at the George R. Brown Convention Center jammed elbow-to-elbow with supporters erupted with a deafening cheer. Some were newcomers to political waters. Some had been with her a dozen years ago when she claimed her first City Council seat.
“Tonight the voters of Houston have opened the doors to history,” she said. “I acknowledge that. I embrace that. I know what this win means to many of us who thought we could never achieve high office. I know what it means. I understand, because I feel it, too. But now, from this moment, let us join as one community. We are united in one goal in making this city the city that it can be, should be, might be, will be.”
Once again, I look forward to the day when the election of a lesbian or gay person to an office in the realm of civic life or the church will not be big news. Barriers are falling, but there's no room for complacency, because we have a long way to go.
From the Houston Chronicle.
My husband came home from work and told me this news- it was on the local Japanese radio news.
ReplyDeleteSuch good news out of Texas.
That Houston was first really surprised me, Catherine.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is great news. I saw it somewhere else, but can't remember where and thought "Houston?"
ReplyDeleteActually, there are other gay mayors. Houston is the biggest city to have one, and the first in the Bible belt.
ReplyDeleteIT, that's what I said in the post. :-) Not the part about the Bible belt, but about the largest city.
ReplyDeleteHey! Portland, Oregon has had a gay mayor for over a year now!
ReplyDeleteBut none of us cared that Sam's gay, so no one really noticed in the media.
Very cool. I lived in Houston for over 20 years and voted for Annise Parker when she ran for city council. The city has pockets of "progressives." Melissa Block (NPR) interviewed the mayor-elect
ReplyDeleteBLOCK: You said on election night that you hope your election will change people's minds about Houston. What do you think needs to be changed in people's mind?
Ms. PARKER: A lot of Americans have an image of Houston as a, perhaps, stuffy, conservative, southern city. We are a huge, sophisticated, international city. We are one of the most diverse cities in America. And we clearly value people more on what they can do than who they are. I do believe that my election will cause people to give Houston a second look as a place where they might want to live and work.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=121433426#commentBlock