Gay Ol' Southie?

Published Jun 14 2007, 08:18 PM by David S. Bernstein

After all the stories about Brian Wallace being given a job or otherwise bribed to switch sides or not vote on the gay-marriage amendment, it's more likely that his No vote today simply means that he sees where his bread is now buttered.

Southie is not what it used to be. There are an awful lot of young people there -- Irish and not -- who are for equality.

And, as an astute lifelong Southie resident pointed out to me this afternoon, Jimmy Kelly is no longer there to back him up and ensure him victory (now or for future office).

Then there's the ever-decreasing power of the Catholic Church, proven emphatically in today's vote.

This same Southie resident points out that a generation ago, most people in Southie had a nun or priest in the family. Today, a Southie resident is far more likely to have an openly gay family member. And that's a very big difference.