Andrew Sullivan | The Daily Dish:
Every time I hear some Republican flack claiming that any previous attempt to discipline Mark Foley would have been viewed as homophobic by the media and Democrats and gays, my jaw drops to the floor. Memo to Gingrich: It is not homophobic in any way to stop a grown man preying on teens in his care, whether that guy is gay or straight. No gay person would object to stopping that; we'd all insist on it; and I have found no gay people excusing Foley since. The premise behind this excuse is itself homophobic, and shows what little clue these Republicans have about gay people in general.
Secondly, since when is the GOP skittish about appearing homophobic anyway? The only gay people they have any time for are those prepared to give them cover to pursue gay-baiting as an electoral strategy, like Mary Cheney. The Republican party, in state after state, has demonized gay couples for years now, focusing especially on our desire to create families and stable relationships. They don't seem too worried about appearing homophobic when it comes to winning elections, do they? Gay backers of Bush in 2000, like me, were told he was different, he wasn't a bigot, he wasn't going to gay-bash to maintain power. We were lied to, and, in retrospect, we were fools to have believed any of it. And now they have the gall to defend their lack of basic responsibility to teens by blaming political correctness? In other words, blaming us? Puh-lease.
5:22 PM
Dilettante Archives