As leader of the Bay Area's largest city, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed has not demonstrated either practical or symbolic leadership on the issue of marriage equality.
It is time for Reed to end the waiting game and support the marriage rights of same-sex couples. He doesn't have to personally believe in same-sex marriage (and from what we've heard he doesn't). But as an elected official he should come out in favor of marriage for same-sex couples because it's an equal rights issue.
For eight years now Reed has been silent on marriage equality. He has turned down entreaties for San Jose to join other cities in various legal challenges; most notably he opposed San Jose's formal support for the court case San Francisco filed to overturn California's anti-gay marriage statutes. As we have reported, when he was a city councilman, he was the lone vote against asking members of the state Legislature to pass a same-sex marriage bill.
In 2008 Reed refused to take a stance on Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment passed by voters four years ago that banned same-sex marriage. During that heated campaign, his silence made clear to LGBT San Jose residents that they apparently did not have an ally in their mayor.
Now, he is balking at joining a nonpartisan initiative by the national Freedom to Marry group called Mayors for the Freedom to Marry. The effort, launched earlier this year at the U.S. Conference of Mayors, currently has more than 200 mayors signed up, including Republican Mayor Jerry Sanders of San Diego and Democrat Annise Parker, the out mayor of Houston.
But what's really frustrating about Reed is his refusal to even meet with gay community leaders to hear directly from them. As we reported online last Friday, gay advocates had a meeting set up with Reed to discuss joining the mayors' initiative, but he canceled at the last minute. That's not leadership, that's ducking the issue and disrespectful.
Over the years, many lawmakers and political leaders across the country have changed their stance on same-sex marriage, including President Barack Obama just this month. In many instances, their support evolved, as Obama so famously put it, because they talked to LGBT people on their staffs, or knew LGBT constituents, or had LGBT friends or family members. Reed's LGBT constituents want to meet with him, yet he won't take the time for a sit-down.
Business leaders in the South Bay should be alarmed at Reed's intransigence and should exert some pressure on Reed, a strong ally of corporations. More and more companies have non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation and gender identity and more CEOs are coming out in support of marriage equality. In fact, business leaders' support was an important factor when state lawmakers in New York passed a same-sex marriage bill last year.
On Wednesday, a council committee was set to vote on a resolution that calls on Reed to join the mayors who have signed the Freedom to Marry statement. It's a shame that the reluctant Reed must be prodded to provide leadership in support of equal rights for all, including same-sex couples.