Jeb Bush on Gay Rights
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While the Donald is off running his mouth about how much money he is worth and the other Republican Tea Party Presidential candidates openly espouse homophobic views, Jeb Bush seems to have expressed an surprising middle ground when it comes to matters of gay rights…kind of.
A report by The Advocate claims that Mr. Bush discussed LGBT nondiscrimination laws at a recent campaign event in San Francisco. When asked by a gay man about his stance on LGBT discrimination, Bush replied, “I don’t think you should be discriminated [against] because of your sexual orientation. Period. Over and out…I think this should be done state-by-state. I totally agree with that.”
The report suggests that Bush “backpedaled” a bit when it came to discussing same-sex marriage and “religious freedom:”
“Bush has previously said that following the Supreme Court’s ruling in June that legalized same-sex marriage in the United States, the matter is settled and Republicans should move on from the issue…The candidate also gave himself some wiggle room when discussing the proposed laws. Using the example of a florist asked to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding, clearly expressed his opinion that they should not be used to blatantly discriminate, saying, ‘You should be obligated to sell them flowers. Doing otherwise would be discriminatory.’ Backpedaling slightly, Bush clarified that he didn’t think the florist should be required to ‘participate’ in the ceremony itself. Since most florists for weddings arrive early to organize the bouquets and arrangements, it’s unclear in Bush’s language exactly what participating in the wedding means to him.”
Clearly, Bush’s comments aren’t cause to hold a pride parade in his honor, but compared to how other Republican candidates have discussed matters of LGBT rights, he seems to be the lesser of two evils…for now.
