J.W. Lown, the mayor of San Angelo, Texas, has a gay lover living in Mexico who isn’t a U.S. citizen. So he handed in his resignation just before he was supposed to be sworn in for his fourth term:
Lown said he did not want to take the oath of office knowing he was “aiding and assisting” someone who was not a citizen. […]
Lown said the man came to the United States five years ago. He attended Angelo State University. Lown said the relationship started after March. Lown and the man are in Mexico awaiting a visa to come back legally.
“I did the best I could,” Lown said. “I had to get down here and get everything in order to make a life for myself.”
If Lown’s lover were a woman, she could just get married and move to Texas, right? But no such equality for his male lover—even the male lover of an upstanding mayor. Seems like a case for Immigration Equality.
Tip from kitchensync.
Don’t let the republicans hear about this, they’ll start having orgasms if they get the chance to bash illegal immigrants and gays at the same time.
You’d think..however it isn’t always as easy as getting married for straight people either. I know of a couple he is from El Salvador and she is from Seattle. They do not want to give him citizenship and are threatening to deport him.
But yeah the straights still have at least the chance of getting their spouse a green card or visa.
I think the community response needs to be noted. Maybe because he was already out, but no one is freaking out about this. This is a personal matter he needs to deal with and people are giving him space. If the mainstream media does pick this up, lets hope this is the tone the town takes.
He’s loved dearly in San Angelo, so if he came back it’d be no surprise if he was re-elected. He might get double points for saying, “hey, no illegals! Go back and get here legally!”, even.
Of course, if his partner (seeing as they’re in this together!) can’t come back, I think the strange West Texas walk-2-miles-across-a-pasture-with-a-pitcher-of-sweet-tea-for-my-sweaty-sweetie chivalry thing will kick in and he’ll try to move to Mexico. I can only guess which is the most likely outcome and which will be easier to accomplish.
This is a sad story. I am glad that the issue is being addressed in HR, but that doesn’t end the discrimination couples are facing.
Wow. Very interesting news to me. I’m a gay who graduated from Angelo State University in ’97. Back then, the mayor was named Dick Funk, which I always felt was something you complained about to your doctor.
The really shocking part of the story (to me) is that an openly gay Mexican citizen was elected to public office in West Texas. Multiple times. With 89% of the vote last time.
West Texas is changing.
@7 … totally agree. I was mostly closeted in college in San Angelo, only a few of my very close friends knew the truth. It wasn’t until I graduated and moved to Austin that I completely threw open the door. So, it is amazing to learn about San Angelo’s mayor circa 2003-2009.
Speaking of gay mayors, you won’t read it here, but — Sam Adams is in trouble again … for lying, breaking promises, throwing subordinates under the bus.
But at least he’s not driving.
@9: Wade is a yutz.
Baconcat @ 10 — Yutz or not-yutz, Wade Nkrumah has a very promising case.
Of course, you won’t read about it here.
One more thing you won’t read about here: When Adams rear-ended that Subaru, and then stepped on the gas instead of the brake (driving the Subaru into the Accord), his shorts were unbuttoned and his fly was down. (Talk about your pols with zipper problems!)
But you could have read about it in the Oregonian.
Here’s to more and better gay mayors.