Gay Marriage Foe's Son Weds Same-Sex Partner

Same Sex Marriage Forum

Gay Marriage Foe's Son Weds Same-Sex Partner
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff



Posted: March 9, 2004 8:01 p.m. ET

(San Francisco, California) The son of one of the most vocal opponents of same-sex marriage tied the knot Tuesday in San Francisco with his longtime partner.

David J. Knight married married Joseph A. Lazzaro Jr in a simple ceremony at San Francisco city hall. The only witness was a friend. No family members attended. Knight and Lazzaro, who live in Baltimore, have been together for 10 years.

Knight, 42, is the son of state Sen. William J. "Pete" Knight the man who spearheaded the drive to pass Proposition 22 which is commonly regarded as banning same-sex marriage in the state. The elder Knight is also involved with two conservative groups fighting San Francisco's decision to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, and is part of a lawsuit challenging the state over its domestic partner legislation.

"I love my son, but we continue to disagree on this issue and because this is a personal family matter I do not wish to respond," Sen. Knight said in a statement released by his office Tuesday evening. The statement went on to say that Knight continues to believe that the marriages performed in San Francisco over the past three weeks are "illegal and unethical".

In 2000, during the Proposition 22 campaign, David Knight, who served as an Air Force fight pilot during the first Persian Gulf War, wrote an opinion piece for the Los Angeles Times entitled "My Father is Wrong on Gays."

In it, he said that his father rejected him upon learning he was gay in 1997 and that the two had remained estranged.

"I believe, based on my experience, that his is a blind, uncaring, uninformed, knee-jerk reaction to a subject about which he knows nothing and wants to know nothing, but which serves his political career," he said.

Yesterday, California Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles) wed her longtime partner Sharon Sticker.

How pathetic that you would legislate against your own family.

Because some people refuse to see love for what it is... LOVE!!!!

Good for him...

I always wonder what would happen if one G W Bush's girls turned gay.

I don't think it would be a problem for him if one was a guy and they loved each other

How sad that there are parents who are so completely unwilling to understand who their kids are.

Some parents disown their kids because they are gay and can’t handle having a gay son. The embarrassment! I think that if I ever had a son or daughter who said they were gay I would support them. Why hate? Especially hate your own kid? It’s just wrong. I would just encourage protection

I'd support my kid too. And encourage protection as well. Kris, are you packing heat?

It's possible... You just never know!
Do you need to pat me down to find out?

no she's packing heat...i mean KJ...just because i'm neutral on the issue doesn't mean you can randomly come to my house and...oh wait...no...that was a dream i had...

You've got some strange dreams.


My parent's didn't support me when I came out, back in 88. But, they DID eventually come around. My mom is so supportive, and she can't WAIT for Heidi and I to marry in 5 weeks. She's having so much fun with helping us prepare for everything.

Everyone jumps on Parents who don't support their gay kids like the parents are demons and while I know it hurts to have your parents reject you for any reason, for a lot of parents it is quite a shock to find out your son/ daughter is gay and just takes some getting used to.

It would be the same if you came home and only had one leg or something, your parents would be shocked, but they would get used to it and still love you. Most parents just need time.

Everyone who says they would support their kids no matter what, that is lovely and I say the same thing, but there would always be that bit of a "stumble" when you first found out.

We expect things for our children (wedding, kids, grand kids, etc) and for some parents it is hard for them to cope with the fact that their children wont have those things. Also most parents come from a time when gayness was less accepted and they worry for the safety of their gay children.

Also I think it depends on the relationship you had with your parents (and even brothers and sister, cousins, aunts, uncles, neices, nephews, friends, collegues, etc) as to what the relationship is like after you "come out". A lot of times if the realtionship was good, it will make it stronger, if the relationship was already bad, it will make it worse.

In the end everyone will react differently and you will just have to cope, which sound harsh, but it is the reality of the situation. While most people now-a-days will accept it, some people will hate you for it and there will be nothing you can do about it.

Very sad to disown your child because they are gay. I can understand being shocked and not knowing how to handle it, but I would never cut my children out of my life if they were gay.

Schmiggens, there's a difference between being shocked, and out right disowning your child. My parents kicked me out on the streets. Yeah, that's real loving. That's really supportive.

Kris that's terrible! I;m glad your mom finally came around. Parents are important in every person's life.

Yes, it's a rough thing to go through... but, it made me a stronger person.

Parents who just toss their children aside, because they make decisions in their lives that the parents don't agree with, is such a horrible thing. It was a hard time for me to go through... but, I can tell you horror stories of kids who have come out to their families, and it makes my story look like Disneyland.

And this guy is a Senator? Don't get me wrong, my stance on same sex marriage is documented but his decision to live his life absent of his own blood due to an issue like this makes me question his judgements.
And yes there is a "shock" period when informed but after several months, I believe rationale should set in. And if not...ones' charactor is established.
My "shock" period lasted about 2 months or so if I recall, but it was not my child.Good lord! Communication is a major downfall of Families IMO.

Oh, I hate to say it, but, it's not true that MOST people come around.
While there are MANY who do "get over it" there are thousands that don't.
I'm serious. I know people who have lost all of their families.
I was a very lucky person...

I have to side with KJ here. Many families do come around, however there are way too many that do disown their kids, forever. That is why I posted the article. You only hear about these things when it is a celebrity or politician or other public official.

I have had a number of friends that no longer associate with their families. They have been kicked out on the streets and some have even been beaten by their parent. I have had friends who have attempted suicide rather than tell their parents they were gay.

I get your point schmiggens, it is a valid one, I'm just saying that it is only the best parents that actually love you and support you. Most of the others don't support you (even if they still love you, always hoping you will change), ignore that part of your life like it never happened, or just disown you all together.

I am a very lucky person. My family was only strange for a very short amount of time. Maybe a month max. They have always loved me and would never let me go. The love in my family is very strong. I know how lucky I am, and I remind myself of that all of the time. There are so many that will never know that feeling from their parents/brothers/sisters. My family even used to help some of my gay friends. You just can't get better parents than that.

Now don't get me wrong, my parents are not perfect. I am just stating that I am one of the few lucky ones. My situation is the exception to the rule.

Well that is so sad. Most of the people I know have been very lucky then as their families supported them after a very short time of adjusting. A lesbian I know, her mum is always calling her daughter's partner her "other daughter" and they have very loving relationship with both their families.

Another gay man I know, his father always says that "mum always wanted a girl, I wanted a boy, you have given us both" and he means it in the best way. They are also a very loving family.

I am sorry if I offended anyone or upset anyone with my comments, it is just that in my experience (through the people I know) they have been mostly accepted. I only know one gay person who lost his job when he came out. Maybe I just hang out with a tolerant group of people?

Sorry for you ordeals KJ and outsider. I am sure it was very hard for you. But in doing what you are doing and spreading the message of acceptance, hopefully you can help make it easier for future generations to come out and be accepted everywhere by everyone. *fingers crossed*

Yeah... my mom absolutely LOVES Heidi. She is her daughter. My mom calls her that, all the time... also calls her "My Girl" They are very close to one another, and I couldn't ask for anything better. It's been a long road, filled with tears and pain... but, it was worth every single moment.

schmiggens, I was not offended. I was just trying to show that it is usually something that some families sadly never accept.

Perhaps the difference is a continental one. I know Australia is a bit more liberal than America. Actually America is really anal retentive, but that is just my experience. Most of the people I have met from other nations seem to be more calm about things. I am really glad that you know people that are accepted by their families. It warms my heart to know that there are nice people all over the globe.

I don't usually think in terms of local people (like USA only), I really look for the global community. I think it's really nice to be able to share from continent to continent.

I agree with you, Outsider.

And schmiggens, just to add, I wasn't offended either.

I have to say I would be disappointed if one of my kids was gay, but I would certainly not disown them.

William Knight, Who Wrote California Ban on Gay Marriage, Dies
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: May 11, 2004


LOS ANGELES, May 10 (AP) — State Senator William J. Knight, a onetime record-setting military test pilot who as a legislator wrote the measure banning gay marriage in California, died Friday in nearby Duarte. He was 74.

The cause was acute myelogenous leukemia, said his communications director, David Orosco. Mr. Knight, a Republican from Palmdale, north of Los Angeles, had been absent from his Senate seat since April 12 because of his illness.

Mr. Knight, known as Pete, was best known as the author of the state's Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman. After failing to get similar legislation through the Democratic-controlled Legislature, he took his proposal to a referendum, where in 2000 it passed with the approval of 61 percent of the voters.

He had since used the courts to keep state agencies from granting spousal rights to same-sex couples, and a nonprofit group he founded is at the center of the legal challenges to San Francisco's allowing same-sex weddings.

His son David married Joseph Lazzaro, a partner of 10 years, at San Francisco's City Hall in March, two days before the California Supreme Court halted gay weddings pending its decision on the merits of the challenges.

Mr. Knight was born in Noblesville, Ind., near Indianapolis, and attended Butler and Purdue Universities before becoming an Air Force pilot and serving in the Vietnam War.

While in the Air Force, he flew experimental planes, earning astronaut's wings in a craft that during one flight soared above 280,000 feet, according to the Web site of Edwards Air Force Base.

He also set a speed record in the rocket-powered X-15-2A, flying it on Oct. 3, 1967, at 4,520 miles an hour, nearly seven times the speed of sound.

Mr. Knight retired from the Air Force with the rank of colonel. In the Legislature, he represented the 17th Senate District, which comprises northeastern Los Angeles County, all of Inyo County and parts of San Bernardino, Ventura and Kern Counties. His seat will remain vacant until the November election, when term limits would have required him to abandon it.

Mr. Knight is survived by his wife, Gail; three sons; four stepsons; and 15 grandchildren.