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Dear Mayor Sanders,

I do not know who you are. I do not really know your city - except for a few vacation trips when my children were younger. But I do know people. And I do know what courage looks like. Mayor Sanders, you are a hero. There will be a time, later, when people are looking at history, trying find exact moments of change, and they will come upon you, and your wife - being real, being parents, being human and say "This man stood up and did what we all hoped for, he reminded us that we are people - not machines, not arms of a party, not one thing in public and one thing in private, but fully integrated humans, that have difficult decisions to make, that have to go home and eat dinner at the dinner table, that have daughters to love, and careers to tend, and wives to hold in the night." We forget these things in this era of big politics. We forget that the world is not made up of ideologies, but rather of human beings, looking for love, belonging, and comfort in an often cruel world.

I am struck by the timing of your decision. We have on one side of the continent, a man, another politician, from another part of the world claiming that there is no homosexuality in his country. And in hearing his words, my heart falters, thinking of the fate, of his constituency, people like your daughter, my nephew, my dear friends, wondering what their lives must be like. And last week, toe-tapping stories from your contemporaries in stalls in men's bathrooms, we have done this in our country, forced closeted rituals on our children and adults, denied certain unalienable rights, as you said, basic civil rights. We are all worthy of love. We all deserve a chance to love. It is a civil rights issue as you so beautifully, honestly and eloquently stated.

I saw in your face a man who was terrified. Terrified perhaps that your career would end. That wrath would be evoked from the very political party that supported you for 30 years, that put you in office. I saw in your wife, in her handing you a glass of water, stony resolve, love and pride mixed with fear, knowing that what you were doing together was both right and revolutionary, but also frightening and life changing. You should be proud. That your daughter will know your love. And you will be loved by so many for your courage. Do not let the voices that confront you drown out those that support you. And brace yourself for a future that you cannot in this moment predict. I wish you peace of heart and mind in this process. I imagine it will not be easy.

Mostly I wanted to say thank you. You will serve as an example to me, to this country and the world. There are moments in history where regular people are called to do great things. This was your moment.

With Great Admiration,