 Let's talk about Republican congressman Glenn Thompson. So he represents Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district And he was one of the 157 Republicans who voted against marriage equality last week Now it's interesting that he voted that way considering three days later as NBC News reports He attended his gay son's wedding So you vote against marriage equality, but then you celebrate your own gay son's same-sex wedding Make it make sense to me. This doesn't make sense. I Mean it makes sense, but it's just it's weird and there's so many questions I have a lot to say with regard to this story But why would you vote that way if you know that your son relies on the right to same-sex marriages? Why would your son still invite you to this wedding? knowing what you just did I Just there's there's a lot to talk about and believe it or not The plot thickens even further, but let's get to the article So as NBC News reports the gay son of representative Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania Confirmed it to NBC News on Monday that he married the love of his life on Friday and that his father was there NBC News is not publishing the names of the grooms neither of whom is a public figure Thompson's press secretary Madison Stone also confirmed the congressman was in attendance quote congressman and Mrs. Thompson were thrilled to attend and celebrate their son's marriage on Friday night as he began This new chapter in its life Stone said in an email adding that the Thompson's are very happy to welcome their new son-in-law into their family In an email last week to the local newspaper Center Daily Stone called the respect for marriage act Nothing more than an election year messaging stunt for Democrats in Congress who have failed to address historic inflation and out of control Prices at gas pumps and grocery stores. So, okay, the most puzzling aspect about this story is how They can just vote against this and then go on to pretend as if everything is copacetic Yeah, of course We attended our gay son's wedding and we were thrilled to welcome our new son-in-law into the family Hang on you can't you can't just you can't just say that the series of events preceding that wedding Make this picture very difficult to believe so obviously what's happening is that? Publicly he has to pander to the far-right base of the Republican Party But privately he knows that marriage equality is a no-brainer of course It should be something that Everyone supports but just he can't say that publicly even if you have a gay son You don't have the courage to come out and support marriage equality at a time where the Supreme Court is threatening to take that away Clarence Thomas specifically cited Obergefell as a case that the court should revisit So even if you want your son to be married you're thankful and thrilled to welcome your new son-in-law into the family You're okay with the Supreme Court taking that away This is insane now look even if you're a Republican and you've got a pander to these extremists in your party You actually don't have to be a terrible person and we know this because other Republicans with gay family members have not done The same thing for example Republican Senator Rob Portman who has a gay son is Cosponsoring the Senate version of the bill and he released a press statement back in 2013 Announcing his support for same-sex marriage citing his son as the reason why he had a change of heart So believe it or not, you don't have to be terrible on this issue just because you're a Republican I mean Rob Portman demonstrates that but yet Glenn Thompson is too much of a coward and Instead is choosing to throw his own son under the bus to pander to the GOP's far-right evangelical base And I'm sorry, but the son has to step in and he should have said you know what dad You just voted against my marriage You don't get to come and celebrate my wedding now bye You can listen to all of us celebrate on the outside sit by the curb But you're no longer welcome because you voted against what I'm doing right now This is a fundamental right and you told me your son to go fuck myself So you don't get to participate. I mean I disown my family members if they simply vote for Republicans You don't have to support Democrats I hate Democrats too but if you affirmatively vote for a party that wants to take away my rights and Recriminalize gay intimacy and enact all of these laws that fuck over my life You don't get to celebrate my life with me you get kicked to the curb because that's what you did to me And this son needs to put his foot down. I know it's difficult I know it's it's a really you know complex and awkward conversation to have but you've got to draw the line You can't allow this to happen. He just voted against your marriage Why would you let him into your wedding? It's just it's unbelievable to me like what people subject themselves to again. It's your father So it's it's difficult to just disown him. That's no easy thing, but you cannot allow this to happen I don't care if he's a Republican and this is his career to pandered to evangelicals if you're gay You're in a position to influence a lawmaker. So do it. Don't invite him to your fucking weddings You shouldn't allow him to be part of your life Now it's not just that he voted against marriage equality the human rights campaign gave him a zero percent score on LGBTQ plus issues Meaning that he does not ever vote affirmatively for LGBTQ plus rights And also there's a number of bills that he could support that would improve his son's life But he's choosing not to so he also hasn't co-sponsored the do not harm act Which prohibits the religious freedom restoration act from letting people use so-called religious liberty as a legal Justification to discriminate against queer people doesn't support that He also hasn't supported the safe schools improvement act which requires schools to adopt codes that mitigate bullying on the basis of race But also sexual orientation and gender identity He's also against the prep access and coverage act which would require all public and private insurance providers to cover HIV prevention pills He has not co-sponsored the therapeutic fraud prevention act Which amends the federal trade commission act to clarify that conversion therapy is an unfair or deceptive practice And he also hasn't supported the every child deserves a family act which prohibits discrimination Against same-sex couples when it comes to adoption now that last policy that he's not supporting could directly impact his own family I mean do you not want grandchildren? What if your son wants to adopt children with his husband? So you're not supporting this legislation that would enable him to do that in the event the GOP takes away That right I Mean these are things that directly impact his own family, but he's choosing to not support them because Reasons it's just it's ridiculous now. We actually have a snippet of the speech that he gave And if you didn't know the details surrounding this story, you would just assume this is an ordinary loving parent. Let's listen Everyone Now there's more to that audio But the reason why I played that specific portion is because he's speaking directly to his new son-in-law and how happy he is That he has this individual that his son brought into the family now for more details on that particular speech Buzzfeed breaks it down and they transcribed the most interesting moments So they write as candles flickered on the long wooden dining tables under a ceiling decorated with large string lights guests sat with glasses of sparkling wine before them to hear speeches to toast to the two newlyweds Wearing a black tuxedo and black bowtie Pennsylvania Republican Representative Glenn Thompson toasted his son and new son-in-law both of whom sat before him wearing wedding white blazers Standing next to his wife the member of Congress told the guests how blessed he felt to celebrate the men's marriage and to welcome a New member into his family Thompson said any parent hopes and praise that their child stays healthy finds their way and ultimately finds that one true love So they can have the opportunity to experience that someone to grow old with What we love it when they find their one true love, especially when they become part of our families then that's what we're rooting for Thompson said praising his son for his selection of a husband, but yet three days prior he voted against These types of marriages. It's so gross not just because it directly affects your family but this affects hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples and He's just he's he's there. He's welcomed there after doing something egregious I mean, it's just it's absurd to me that this was allowed But one of the guests there was not having it BuzzFeed continues I think the word should definitely get out there the guest said of their decision for BuzzFeed news to publish it These politicians need to be exposed for who they really are. It's baffling to me that Republicans are so hypocritical where they say one thing Publicly but then in private they live a completely different life. It's absurd these people are frauds and really what's happening is a lot a large portion of the Republican Party not all of them But a large portion of them. They know that the GOP base is bat-shit fucking insane. They know this We're all thinking it. They know it. They think that too But they're just too afraid to stand up to the evangelicals in their base And if they disagree with them because I mean, this is the most loyal voting demographic for the Republican Party So if you piss off evangelicals, you could end your political career like that So it takes courage to do the right thing as senator Rob Portman has done where he doesn't just affirm Affirmatively support marriage equality, but he is co-sponsoring the legislation because he actually loves his son He actually has courage even if I disagree with him on like 99% of the issues He at least is a decent enough human being to not throw his own family under the bus But here individuals like Glenn Thompson They vote against their own son's wedding and then attend it three days later as if there's there's nothing wrong with that No, there is something wrong with that. There's a problem with that You're hypocritical you're gross and your son should want nothing to do with you after you just voted against his right to marry That's despicable