Politics as usual

Last year Roy Ashburn was arrested on DUI charges after leaving a gay nightclub near the Capitol. Ashburn a California Republican state senator who consistently voted against gay rights measures during his 14 years in statewide office, came out in an interview with KERN radio in Bakersfield, Ashburn said he felt compelled to address rumors "I am gay those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long," Ashburn told conservative talk show host Inga Barks. The 55-year-old father of four said he had tried to keep his personal life separate from his professional life until his March 3, 2010 arrest. Ashburn had voted against a number of gay rights measures, including efforts to expand anti-discrimination laws and recognize out-of-state gay marriages. In 2009, he opposed a bill to establish a day of recognition to honor slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Last year, he opposed a bill to establish a day of recognition to honor slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. A group that advocates for expanded gay rights and other issues Equality California said it consistently gave Ashburn a 0 rating on its scorecard. The senator did say however that his voting record reflected how his constituents wanted him to vote. I always thought you voted on what you felt was right. I guess if your constituents want you to vote against your lifestyle and what you believe in, in the interest of political expediency and self hatred you will go along with it.

The names are running jokes now Larry Craig who was arrested in 2007 for allegedly attempting to solicit sex in a Minneapolis International Airport bathroom from an undercover officer. According to the police report, Sgt. Dave Karsnia, who was investigating allegations of illicit sexual activity in the airport men’s room, entered a bathroom stall on June 11. Craig entered the adjacent stall and then began to “send signals” to Karsnia that he wanted to engage in sexual activity. He of course resigned to "weigh his options". Mark Foley (R-FL) resigned in 2006 after questionable IM's he sent to a 16 year congressional page surfaced. Bob Allen, Florida Chairman of John McCain's presidential campaign and a Member of the House of Representatives, offered an undercover officer $20 to blow the officer. Allen was one of 21 Florida legislators to sign Gov. Jeb Bush’s friend of the court brief supporting the state’s ban on gays adopting children. 2007 Glenn Murphy Jr National Chairman of the Young Republicans, Chairman of the Clark County Republican Party, got a fellow Young Republican drunk and then spent the night at his house. The Young Republican woke up to find Murphy performing fellatio on him. Murphy was a well-paid political consultant for Republican candidates and advised them to use gay marriage as a wedge issue to paint their opponents as out of touch with traditional values.

We hear about these stories all the time. I will reiterate this is not about anyone’s sexual preference; it's about the hypocrisy in society. The same pervasive message in Hip Hop that being Gay is something to be ashamed of, even though they promote a homosexual agenda on the downlow (pun intended) is the same Hypocrisy in the church. You have affluent preachers, Bishops and pastors denigrating the sins of homosexuality, yet engaging in homosexual acts. The politicians, who we vote into office, that vote for and introduce legislation against same sex marriage,same sex benefits and gay adoptions, are no better. We have to hold them up to a different standard, they are here to represent the people and some of the people are gay. It would not be that bad if they were not so vociferous in their opposition to a gay lifestyle, yet live one. If you can't be true to yourself, how you can be true to the people who put you in office? There are a number of openly gay politicians Barny Frank, Former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, Steve Gunderson to name a few. Who have been honest and mostly open about their sexual preferences. Not all of them have the same views on same sex marriages or even "don't ask don't tell', but at least they admit who they are. The problems I have are with the ones who keep it in the closet, but try to tell me about family values. Don’t think I have left out the straight politicians who also preach family values, but sleep around. That is for another blog, on another day. So until next week, I leave you with this "The true hypocrite is the one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity." ~André Gide, 1947 Nobel Prize winner for literature