The Tide is Slowly Changing...

or maybe I'm just hungry for some positive news for a change. Yesterday the Washington state Senate voted 25-23 to approve a bill that would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, lending and employment. Twenty four of 26 Senate Democrats were joined by one Republican:

Sen. Bill Finkbeiner, R-Kirkland, reversed his previous position to turn the tide this year.
"This has been a terribly difficult issue for me," said Finkbeiner as he explained his change of heart.

"What we are really talking about here is...whether or not it's OK to be gay or homosexual in this state. On whether or not it's appropriate to be discriminating against or to discriminate against someone because of that."

He said being gay or lesbian isn't a choice.

"People don't choose this. We don't choose who we love, the heart chooses who we love," Finkbeiner said.

"I don't believe that it is right ... to say that it's acceptable to discriminate against people because of that , because of who their heart chooses to love. I can not stand with that argument."

Following the GOP talking point script, the rest of the Republicans said protecting a human being from discrimination promotes immoral behavior.

Governor Chris Gregoire plans to sign the bill into law on Tuesday.