For anyone following most every LGBT Rights story, it is a roller coaster of ups and downs. Unfortunately the “downs” seem to outnumber the “ups” most times. But one breaking story this week is especially important to consider. The story of Cindy McCain and her support for LGBT Rights. At a foundational level, both Cindy and the daughter, Meghan have been outspoken and at odds with the majority of the Republican party over LGBT rights. In the past this was seen as powerful, and meaningful, especially given that it has put them in direct conflict with father, husband and out-of-touch GOP leader John McCain. So, when the original video was released, I tagged it with plans to write. But then, on Friday, everything changed, and Cindy came out with a statement that she fully supports her husband’s position on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT). Which is it? Either what she said in the video was a lie, or what she said in her follow-up statement was a lie- the two can not both exist given the clarity of the words spoken in each.

Mrs. McCain, in a video that went viral, had said just a day earlier, “Our political and religious leaders tell LGBT youth that they have no future. They can’t serve our country openly,” to which her friends on the video add, “What’s worse, these laws that legislate discrimination teach bullies that what they’re doing is acceptable.” McCain ends with, “Our government treats the LGBT community like second class citizens, why shouldn’t they?”

This was not a nuanced clarification, but a total repudiation of what was being characterized as a brave stance. Now, she will have to endure the scorn of the seventy-eight percent of Americans who want “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repealed, and those who see a woman chose her husband’s dwindling career over honor and protection of vulnerable children.

What does it mean? Daughter Meghan hasn’t seemed to weigh in on this in her blog over at the Daily Beast. Is there real validity to the her support, as well as that of her mother Cindy’s for LGBT Rights, or was it all just a way to try and get *some* LGBT support for the Republican party, and mask even a little bit of the bigotry passing there as policy? Wass all of (from the first “NOH8” photo till now, one big PR mess? Or, are there points in a powerful woman’s life where, if she is a good conservative, she still throws all of her own thoughts, feelings, and convictions out the window to support her husband. Traditional Family unit- I think that is what it is called.

No matter what exactly happened, this story shows the power of bigotry to rise up and deflate, or at least crowd out a voice for inclusion, equality and justice.

Join the Facebook group: Take Off the Duct Tape, Cindy

BREAKING: Cindy McCain: ‘I stand by my husband’s stance on DADT’ | The New Civil Rights Movement.

Here is the original video clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhFZ7qjrw5U&feature=player_embedded