maldoror wrote:
Good article. Sometimes I do notice that the left's treatment of acknowledged gays on the right is at least as hypocritical as what they claim to be fighting against. If homosexuality is not a choice, as they claim (and which I also believe, or course), then how could a gay person be a hypocrite for not supporting gay marriage? That would imply that they chose to be gay, and then chose to speak out against it. The only way it would be hypocritical is if they spoke against gay marriage and were gay-married. It reminds me of the crap that Dick Cheney's daughter had to go through during the elections. Isn't it counterintuitive to use a person's homosexuality against them?
I think there was a strategic element as well although it didn't enter my mind when I was making notes for the article. By noting homosexual Republicans I think certain left of center persons may have been trying to reduce Republican support, especially among the "religious right." Although there were a few murmurs from some individual people identified (actually it may have only been a single comment by Pat Robertson) when Liz Cheney had a baby, it doesn't appear to have affected that particular group support at the polls (they remain the single strongest bloc of GOP and Bush supporters). This was even the case when Vice President Cheney stood up for his daughter and Republicans officeholders (including former Senator Rick Santorum) including former Senator Rick Santorum) stood up for staff members who were identified.
Honestly, such a strategy would have been a misread of religious conservatives. Statistically, there is no doubt there is some percentage of people in the Republican party that is so repulsed by gays holding jobs aiding GOP officeholders they would want them fired. However, the fact is there is a
larger percentage of people within the party (and this includes religious members) that would be angered by the cowardice, and lack of loyalty from any officeholder who simply turned his back on a homosexual officeholder.
An addendum. The assumption, from my own experience that people who are more religious are automatically more homophobic is not necessarily the case. Now, let me speak plainly, someone who is more religious very well may strongly back bans on same-sex marriage, but someone who is deeply religious (and I am speaking in the Judeo-Christian sense) and actually bothers to take the time to look at the text as well as the most accepted interpretations does not come off hating gays as someone who is more casually religious, and doesn't know any accepted interpretations (just "Gays are going to hell").
Finally, next time I think I need to post something more eccletic when I quote something. I have been covering the same material the last several times.
03 Apr 2007, 5:26 pm
