Former Houston City Council member Rob Todd has a message for gay-obsessed Pastor Steve Riggle.
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During my days on City Council, I was considered an archconservative. Part of that reputation was a result of a lawsuit I filed against Mayor Lee Brown over his executive order extending equal rights to gay city employees. My concerns were parliamentary. However, that lawsuit emboldened a small group of bigots, cloaked in the robes of false conservatism, to publicly attack, belittle and bully the local gay community.
This made our city appear hostile, backward and unaccepting, and I believe Riggle’s tactics will have the same effect. To this day I regret that my actions were used by others to attack our brothers and sisters in the gay community.
If Ronald Reagan was with us today, I believe he would also encourage Riggle to tone it down. After all, it was Reagan who invited the first openly gay couple to spend the night at the White House. Riggle’s tactics and rhetoric threaten our ability to attract and retain jobs by ruining the world’s perception of Houston as a cutting-edge, modern city at the forefront of the world economy. On this day of worship, I pray that Pastor Riggle will warm his heart and encourage a higher level of compassion and acceptance.
Todd has spoken out on this issue before. His basic thesis is that Houston’s reputation for tolerance is a key component of its success as a modern city. I certainly agree with that, but I have my doubts that folks like Pastor Riggle do. Still, we all need to do what we can to make him see it.
I wonder if Todd’s next plea will be to CM Brown.
I do not want to get into the gay debate, I appreciate that todd supported brown but I have one question? Why does Todd matter? Just asking?
Two reasons, Paul:
1. Todd was identified with the anti-equality forces back in the day. It means something for him to speak out now in favor of equality.
2. More generally, you can’t have too many people speak out in favor. Attitudes may be changing, but you still have to get enough people to take action, in particular to vote the right way. Every voice in favor makes a difference.
Makes sense. I don’t think he is involved politically anymore in county republican politics (except for the Helena Brown campaign). Alot of people forget that he was involved in the political process before. People have a short memory. However, I do agree that the more people who speak out on a position the better chance you have at changing attitudes. I was once asked do I think homosexuality is a sin? After thinking how to answer the question and still avoid a fight I said “Well if it is, then it is not in the top 10 and once I completly follow the top 10 commandments then I will comment on that issue”.
Keep up the good work.