Isn’t it nice when a choice – especially a political one – is just crystal clear.

When it comes to the choice for mayor in the upcoming election, we’ve got one of those nice, easy no-brainers. In a nutshell, the most important city-wide office, that of mayor, is up for grabs and we have a chance at getting a gay-friendly mayor or a mayor that has consistently voted against issues important to the gay and lesbian community. It’s that clear.

The gay-friendly one, by the way, is County Supervisor Ron Roberts. What, the Republican? Yes, that one.

We believe that of the two candidates running, current Mayor Dick Murphy and Roberts, it’s Roberts who is frankly and candidly gay-friendly. In fact, during his tenure on the County Board of Supervisors, he has engaged in a steady up-hill battle in our favor. Roberts sits on a board with five Republicans, including himself, and has consistently supported our issues: He stuck his neck out and got enough of his colleagues to support domestic-partner benefits for gay county employees by a narrow 3-2 vote. He’s appointed the first gay or lesbian to a San Diego County board. He’s ridden in Pride numerous times, and he returns our phone calls and talks candidly and openly about his views on gay issues. In other words, he gets it.

Murphy, on the other hand, has engaged in an up-hill battle in the exact opposite direction. With supportive council members like our community’s own Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins, as well as gay-friendly representatives like Donna Frye, Michael Zucchet, and Ralph Inzunza, Murphy has actually gone out of his way to vote against our issues. Murphy appears to be a man of conviction, but his conviction is that being gay is wrong. Murphy voted against needle exchange, against the compassionate use of marijuana and sided with the Boy Scouts who – it is now recognized nationally and by various courts – quiet simply discriminate against gays and lesbians.

Roberts: gay-friendly. Murphy: anti-gay. Any questions? Is this easy enough?

We think so. And so, we thought that now, early on in the election cycle, is a good time to check in with some of our city’s council members about who they plan to endorse for mayor – especially with Atkins, a long-time member of the gay and lesbian community, and someone who must be just a little fed up of working with a mayor who – as nice as he may be personally – just doesn’t get it on gay issues. Atkins endorsed Mayor Murphy’s bid for re-election last year, and at that time, with the choice then being between Murphy and Peter Q. Davis, she made the right choice. But that was before Roberts entered the race.

Our question – which we recently put to Atkins – is, why continue to endorse this mayor who is steadfastly against your own basic human rights? We realize the everyday politicking and the negotiations and favors that are a part of day-to-day political life, and we realize that Atkins’ deftness in these negotiations, and her hard work, has landed her the title of deputy mayor, the highest city office ever achieved by a gay or lesbian person. But isn’t the choice too clear and too fundamental to gay and lesbian rights to be clouded over by political alliances?

As it happens, Atkins quickly responded to our question, and her answer is encouraging. Here it is:

“Over the past three weeks, I have been rethinking my endorsement in the mayor’s race.

“This is the time when we most need the support of our non-gay friends. Especially now, when we are in the midst of a national debate over our basic civil rights, our professed allies need to step forward and stand up on our behalf.

“In light of the issues surrounding the move by the president to amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit members of the LGBT community from the right to marry, I am not prepared, at this point in time, to reaffirm my previous endorsement in the mayor’s race. I have not, and will not, make any further decision regarding an endorsement of any candidate in the mayor’s race in the general election until I have had a chance to witness how the candidates respond to our community’s need for support on this basic civil rights issue.”

Translated: Atkins has reconsidered her earlier choice for mayor.

We say, keep thinking if you need to Toni, but the choice is a no-brainer.

To Atkins and council members Frye, Zucchet, Inzunza, Maienschein, Lewis, Madaffer and Peters, we say, if you’re for equal civil rights for all of our city’s residents and what Atkins calls “our community’s need for support on this basic civil rights issue”, then reflect this in your choice for mayor. People are watching. You can make a difference. The issues are more important than politics. Go on, make a decision.