Jack Danforth

Jack Danforth was in the news this week after he told a local gay political group that he opposed state and federal Constitutional amendments on social values, like gay marriage.

On the issue of gay marriage, he said that he opposed same-sex marriage, but supported “some sort of method" of respecting gay couples, and the sharing of pension and health care benefits by long-term, committed couples — much the way the City of St. Louis does now.

It was vintage Danforth: sensitive, thoughtful, eloquent, and fair-minded. The former US Senator went on to decry both a “growing coarseness” in public life and a “meanness” in politics.

I am proud to count Jack Danforth as a friend of the City.