Back in 1993, when I was the young mayor of Lewiston, the City Council and I supported an ordinance that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the areas of employment, housing, credit and public accommodation.

We were crucified in public, with the most extreme opponents complaining that we were promoting bestiality, transvestism and molestation of children in our schools.

There was one complaint in particular, more than 20 years ago, that I heard over and over: “If you give them ‘special rights’ now, someday they’ll want to get married.”

Yes, I told many of the opponents, they will. Someday, they’ll eventually want to get married.

The Lewiston City Council and I supported anti-discrimination in a conservative old New England mill town, not when it was popular, but when it was opposed violently.

And now, more than 20 years later, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, has said that two people can celebrate their love for each other, even if of the same sex. Live and let live.

It was a great day, following victories on health care and housing from the day before. The right-of-center Supreme Court cementing the legacy of President Obama: Who would have thought it?

Every time you think this country is broken beyond repair, we have a couple of days like during the past week and we realize that, despite its flaws, this is still a pretty amazing place.

Jim Howaniec

Lewiston