[MLUG - DISCUSSION] Re: [POLITICS] Larry Craig called Clinton "Nasty, Bad Naughty Boy"

[Mike Miller <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

On Wed, 29 Aug 2007, Mike Miller wrote:

> A friend forwarded this from crooksandliars:


The same friend forwarded this (note Christian angle):


Here is a blogger on Andrew Sullivan's site giving his take on the issue:

http://www.andrewsullivan.com/

  Craig and Guilt [Jamie]

29 Aug 2007 10:46 am

A reader compares Larry Craig to former Spokane Mayor Jim West, whose
support for anti-gay policies came to haunt him when revelations over
his own sexuality hit the papers. PBS's Frontline did a documentary
about him, which you can watch here. Our reader writes that rather
than feel schadenfreude over Craig's (and West's) downfall, gays--and
liberals, more generally--should welcome them into the fold.

      I breath the air of freedom because of gays who struggled for
      rights, and we gays nearly breath the air of equality thanks to
      our continued persistence. Craig and West were stuck in a place
      from which they saw no escape and are mortal beings who made
      mistakes.
       
      I wish the gay community would shelter them from these storms;
      would extend welcoming arms as I believe our community has
      always welcomed people; and say to the Christianists: if you
      will cast him out, then we will take him in (not that Senator
      Craig will come running to the next Pride event, but it is the
      gesture and tone that is most important I believe).
       
      It seems to me the Christianists calling for Craig to be tossed
      overboard are far from their Christian teachings of love,
      truth, tolerance and acceptance. I had a flash of anger today
      listening to Mitt Romney say, "He's no longer associated with
      my campaign, as you can imagine. He resigned just today. And
      you know, he was one of those who was helping my effort, and
      I'm sorry to see that he has fallen short."
       
      For political points Mr. Romney is going to dump his friend
      flat and then thrash him on national television. When Larry
      needs someone to stand by him the most, Mitt is getting as far
      away from him as he can.

      It was the D.C. thing to do, not the Christian thing to do.

I too feel a strange bit of sympathy for Craig--as I feel sad for any
man of his age who has had to live a lie for so long. Like most gay
men, I think I can understand what he's going through, but I was an
adolescent at the time--not 62. But Craig has only compounded his own
misfortune by hurting others. He has a perfectly anti-gay voting
record. If he was closeted but didn't use his powers to harm gay
people, then there would be cause to sympathize. But Craig now claims
that there is a "cloud over Idaho" because of his own alleged
attempts to solicit sex in a restroom. How myopic. Craig's own,
individual actions do not suddenly cast a pall over his entire state
and, more ominously, Craig seems to be implying that to be considered
homosexual is to have a "cloud over" one's dignity. It's no surprise
that he feels this way.

Craig could have done what Jim McGreevey did and just come out of the
closet (but not simultaneously claim that homosexuality was the cause
of his ethical wrongdoing). And, of course, Mitt Romney's kicking
Craig while he's down is everything we've come to expect from the
former Governor with the movie-star good looks who will do and say
anything to get elected.

Over at the Volokh Conspiracy, my friend Dale Carpetner has more on
why, if you don't necessarily feel sympathy for Craig, you ought at
least question the police powers used to arrest him.

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