We aren't talking Foley proportions, but another Republican, this time a Senator from Idaho, was involved in something that may be, uh, inconsistent with his voting record. Apparently Senator Craig was arrested for lewd activity in which he was allegedly soliciting sex in an airport bathroom (ew). He plead guilty.Why bring this up, it's just another scandal, and a relatively small one at that? He paid a $500 fine and his 10 day jail sentence was stayed. In the course of human events no one really cares.
Well, some people might care, since Craig has a predictably dismal voting record with regards to gay and lesbian issues (according at least to the HRC, the be all and end all of gay and lesbian policy positions--thank God we have them to tell us what to think). So it's easy to get smug and shout "hypocrite." That's a rather appropriate reaction, but that's not what I want to talk about.
Over at Sully's blog a guest blogger expressed some guarded sympathy for deeply closeted gays and lesbians. The blogger then noted that his sympathy does not extend far enough to accommodate those closeted gays and lesbians who, in order to protect their "shameful secret," are openly hostile to other gays and lesbians. Particularly those who are in a position to influence national policy. Fair enough. When I hear these kinds of stories I sort of feel something similar, a mix between pity and disappointment.
Don't get me wrong I am trying to defend his record at all. Instead, I am just noting that it must be awful to be someone like that. Really, all I can say is that thanks to some close friends and this blog, I'm grateful that in 40 years I will not be another Senator Craig.
5 comments:
Larry Craig comedy video-
http://podblanc.ath.cx/?q=node/5778
I'm uncomfortable outing tolerant gays and lesbians just because they happen to be Republican but I guess they're just holding this guy to his own "public" standards.
Pete, I am more than uncomfortable with outing. A couple months ago I expressed my outrage at the outing (though not in the strictest sense, but more of the publicizing the private coming out of) Tyler Whitney. I hate it. And yet, here I am participating in the outing machine, how do I justify that?
Even before Tyler, however, when the DC madam thing broke, I noted that these are the people who make sex an issue and they should have to live in the world they created.
This situation is somewhere between the two. As you mentioned, we are holding him to his own public standards. Also, let's not forget if it weren't for his recklessness, there wouldn't be a police report or a Roll Call article. At the same time, I still pity him much the way I pitied Tyler. I pity him a little less because he did much more against gay rights than Tyler ever did. But still you have to pity someone who goes through life so ashamed of who they are that they have to do such things to hide their secret.
I'm all for outting individuals who do extrodinary damage to us while secretly pulling these kinds of stunts. I am aware of the hell that they have created for themselves, but I believe sonething like this is just one more stop on their chosen, personal journey.
These are individuals who, I believe, bought into the whole "choosen" life style/will power nonsense and use that to justify their actions. But it's Ocam's Razor and the pot cannot hold itself. Certainly by this point in life he must understand that his desires are neither choosen or controllable through willpower and prayer. He must also realize that his politics, and the subsequent damage that he wreaks, are by products of his self hatred and therefore totally unjustifiable.
But he persues them anyway in wreckless disregard of the truth and when that occurs, he must be stopped by whatever means are necessary short of a Glock 9mm. Am I sorry for him? Absolutely. But because he's an immense fool than a victim.
Pink, I understand completely - however, I do realise that the blogger (BlogActive) that was originally digging in this guy's private life is part of the Democratic blogosphere.
This guy got what he deserved, on the basis of his voting record, but I suspect there's a lot of partisan mudslinging in this outing hype too.
And outing aides to congressman who might have voted against gay rights issues is really sick.
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