Conservatives Respond To Foley Scandal With Anti-Gay Smears
Conservatives Respond To Foley Scandal With Anti-Gay Smears
Some conservative commentators are using the Mark Foley scandal to push vicious anti-gay smears. A few notable comments:
Ben Stein, American Spectator:
On the one hand, we have a poor misguided Republican man who had a romantic thing for young boys. He sent them suggestive e-mail. I agree, that’s not great. … I hope it won’t come as a surprise to anyone that a big part of male homosexual behavior is interest in young boys. [Link]
Linda Harvey, WorldNetDaily:
Open or suspected homosexuals should never be elected. The problem with homosexuals is that they frequently don’t have common sense and don’t acknowledge appropriate boundaries. Weird sex, public displays of “affection” and nudity, and sex with youth are built into the “gay” sub-culture. [Link]
Jonah Goldberg, National Review:
The funny thing is that you would think the left — particularly the gay left — would be a bit more interested in not having 16 and 17 year old teenagers classified as young children for legal/sexual/political purposes. If that were the case, then a whole lot of dirty old men would need to be prosecuted for felonies when they pick up street hustlers. [Link]
Wall Street Journal, editorial:
But in today’s politically correct culture, it’s easy to understand how senior Republicans might well have decided they had no grounds to doubt Mr. Foley merely because he was gay and a little too friendly in emails. Some of those liberals now shouting the loudest for Mr. Hastert’s head are the same voices who tell us that the larger society must be tolerant of private lifestyle choices, and certainly must never leap to conclusions about gay men and young boys. [Link]
Tammy Bruce, political analyst:
All I want, frankly, is a gay person in office who is not a sexual compulsive. I mean, is that too much to ask for? [Link]
Cliff Kincaid, Accuracy In Meda:
In fact, the entire scandal might have been avoided if Foley’s homosexuality had been exposed and confronted, rather than protected, over the last several years. [Link]
The Foley scandal is not about homosexuality. As ABC News’ Maddy Sauer, who broke the Foley story, said today: “This is an issue about minors and congressional pages that have gone to the Hill to learn about how our country works and, you know, are aspiring to work there themselves one day. It’s just — the story is not about whether the congressman is gay or straight.”
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Pretending that gays and pedophiles are the same is the blood-libel of the right.
Can’t tell the difference between a homosexual and a sexual predator. Can’t tell the difference between abuse and sex. Can’t tell the difference between a child and adult.
Next they’ll go back to saying the Jews eat children. Same sick bastards, same sick story.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:50 pmCan you imagine if it had been a Straight Democrat who had been “flirting” with sixteen year old female pages… Or even a Straight Republican.
Z.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:52 pmThese people are just siding with the terrorists – you know, all those heterosexual men who want to martyr themselves for 72 virgins in heaven. Damn heteros.
*Sarcasm off*
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:53 pmSo let’s see now…
If tolerance for homosexuals is to blame for adult males chasing underage boys,
what’s to blame for adult males chasing underage girls????
Tolerance for heterosexuals?
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:53 pmWhen you have no morals, ethics, or common sense – you will always have a home in the Republican party.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:53 pmThis is disgusting….neocons desperately trying to gain political advantage by trying to blur the lines between homosexuality and pedophilia even though society has moved on from that sick, twisted connection.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:54 pmThese people are just SICK! It’s not about being gay. It’s about PEDOPHILIA! And every psychiatrist and psychologist have stated that pedophiles are predominantly heterosexual and gravitate toward jobs and/or activities that give them the most unsupervised access as possible to children. I just can’t fathom how these people, in good conscience (for lack of a better term), are now spinning out of control to make this a gay issue when it’s painfully obvious that this an issue about perversion! I have to go puke now.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:55 pmIgnorance has no limit; it does not spare those with an audience to see their ignorance on display.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:55 pmIt always amazes me that people who are supposed to be intelligent are so backward and irrational.
Enough is correct. The republicans are out of line here, and I think most Americans will not fall for it. We know our friends, our relatives, our entertainers, and we know that Homosexuality has nothing to do with pedophilia.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:55 pmGuess their gonna have to start with their own party huh?
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:57 pmLike Cheney’s daughter maybe?
This is how they hang on to their bigoted base.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:57 pmThe comments Gingrinch made makes a lot of sense now. Hasert and company didn’t want to appear to be gay bashing because that is the exclusive right for the rest of the wingnut part of his party.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:58 pmSo if Foley was straight and the page was a 16 year old girl, then these nut jobs wouldn’t complain. And they accuse the Dems are playing politics with this scandal. Shame on them.
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:58 pmSame argument ‘Man on Dog’ Santorum tried to use. The factor of consent goes right out the window with these guys when they try to equate homosexual behavior between consenting adults to non-consensual perversions that create victims, like pedophilia, beastiality, rape, etc…
Remember that gays cannot be Boy Scout leaders because they go on overnights with children, and we all know that homosexuality is exactly the same as pedophilia… right?
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:02 pmfirst, to paraphrase ben stein:
…it won’t come as a surprise to anyone that a big part of male heterosexual behavior is interest in young girls.
it’s about the children.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:05 pmI don’t think Foley is funny, it is funny that Jonah Goldberg realizes,now, that the Right is more immoral than the left.
jajajajaaa
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:06 pmJonah Goldberg was a hypocrite before he wasn’t
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:06 pmhomosexuality=young boys. then why is there such a thing as pedaphilia? let the jail doors open folks, no need to jail homosexuality cuz that sure isn’t a crime.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:08 pmScrew these clowns. There is a special bench on whatever ring (is it the ninth) in Hell with their names prominently placed on it. These people are so incredibly ignorant it is mind boggling. Let’s see, I’m gay, have been in a long-term relationship (longer than most marriages I might add), have only had relationships with other adult males, have no interest in underage boys — yuck; it’s sick — who knew I was a latent pedophile just ready to burst forth –
Hey, wingnuts — BURN IN HELL! STOP SPEAKING FOR MY COMMUNITY YOU VILE EXCREMENT!
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:09 pmYo Jonah G.,does this mean your gonna round up your oxycontin buddy limbaugh and deport him?
And that guy with the falafel, another of yours right? Yeh O’Leilly, him, send him with limbaugh to some sweat shop in the mariannas maybe, making falafels and cuban cigars.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:10 pmThese people are disgusting. They are not ignorant. They know full-well what they are saying. They have no credibility or decency left.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:10 pmIt sickens me to see the comments made in relation to homosexuality and child molestors. How can anyone but the argument that if you’re gay then you’re obviously going to molest little boys and girls? Instead of spreading anti-gay messages, what they need to do is focus on the fact that Foly’s dirty little messages were covered up. He obviously is a sick man who needs to be prosecuted like any other child predator.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:10 pm#19
i apologize for them. i would be outraged and was just wondering where is the gay community?
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:11 pmWhat do you think Jim (Focus on the Family) Dobson’s position is with this incident? Aside with silence Dobson would say: screw the Democrats and exonerate Foley’s Sodom and Gomorrah delights on young boys.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:12 pmJust another day in bazzaro land… when will the madness end…
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:12 pmDog (#16): actually, perhaps Goldberg now realizes that the right is more amoral than the left. Immorality requires some moral base against which to measure someone else — I think that over the last 6 years, and certainly over the last 6 months, the repukes have shown that they have no moral base. Instead, they are completely lacking in morals since the repuke way is to say and do whatever they want so as to hang onto power, regardless of what it does to everyone else around them. That, my canine friend, is the definition of an amoral group…
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:12 pmUm, Jonah? It is a felony to have sex with an underage street hustler, isn’t it?
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:12 pmAnyone care to provide evidence that “a big part of male homosexual behavior is interest in young boys”? Anyone who has spent even a modest amount of time among gay men knows that their sexual appetites are not limited to adults. Heck, in some cultures male homosexual behavior exclusively involves young boys.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:14 pmARRGGHH! The audacity! Those statements are directed HATE. If these kinds of statements were made towards any other minority group the people saying them would be blasted for their bigotry. So, let’s give it a try. How would you feel about someone saying the following:
“sex with youth are built into the “Catholic” sub-culture.”
“I hope it won’t come as a surprise to anyone that a big part of female heterosexual behavior is interest in young boys.”
“But in today’s politically correct culture, it’s easy to understand how senior Republicans might well have decided they had no grounds to doubt Mr. Foley merely because he was a Black American and a little too friendly in emails.”
Bigotry, simple Hate.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:15 pmI’d love to see them interview Andrew Vachss alongside on of these commentators and watch as he handed their asses to them on the whole pedophillia/homosexual angle they so love to spout.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:16 pmSome the cons go public saying the Foley thing is despicable and all those involved should resign, but while they’re at it they’ll smear the gay community.
I knew it would come to this, I’m just surprised it took them so long.
Sorry NoMoreBush…
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:17 pmYeh lets discuss these things ;
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:18 pm
Secularism shouldn’t have to explain itself every time an issue of morality comes up. The right’s apparent amateur ranking they immediately assign to the left is a nice defense mechanism but really calls attention to their own faulty exceptions. I don’t think just because the left is not a primarily religion based constituency doesn’t mean that logic and reason based on principles should be banned from any gripe it has against the theocracies.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:20 pm#28 – Citizen Dad,
You should be ashamed of yourself for saying that. I’ve known many gay people in my lifetime, and none of them was interested in preying on children. On the other hand, I’ve known several heterosexual men who liked to molest children, including their own.
BTW, can you provide a link — from a neutral source — for your allegations?
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:21 pmNow wait,
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:22 pmDidn’t Reptile Gingrich say they held back to avoid being accused of gay-bashing?
So, what’s up with the gay bashing?
Oh, I see….they needed a closed meeting to come up with talking
points before anyone could talk, except Newt.
I’m confused.
Clinton got blown.
Hastert just blew up.
linda harvey’s turn:
Open or suspected religious fundamental extremists should never be elected. The problem with fundamentalists is that they frequently don’t have common sense and don’t acknowledge appropriate boundaries.
just sayin’…
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:23 pmRep. Helen Chenoweth – Who screwed most every married male member of the Idaho Legislature!
Off topic: I just read in the paper this morning that Helen Chenoweth was killed in a car accident yesterday. My heart goes out to her children and grandchildren.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:24 pm[...] Wall Street Journal, editorial: But in today’s politically correct culture, it’s easy to understand how senior Republicans might well have decided they had no grounds to doubt Mr. Foley merely because he was gay and a little too friendly in emails. Some of those liberals now shouting the loudest for Mr. Hastert’s head are the same voices who tell us that the larger society must be tolerant of private lifestyle choices, and certainly must never leap to conclusions about gay men and young boys. [Link] Tammy Bruce, political analyst: All I want, frankly, is a gay person in office who is not a sexual compulsive. I mean, is that too much to ask for? [Fox News] [...]
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:24 pmWTF???
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:25 pmWhat does being gay have to do with being a pedophile???
A BIG difference!!! C’mon, wake up all right???
katy,
That’s a good one. :)
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:25 pmThey are projecting. They think, “If I were gay, what would I do? Well, since I like small girls now, I guess I’d like small boys, wouldn’t I?” Especially Goldberg. What a wanker.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:25 pmnot a paraphrase, jonah goldberg:
…you would think the left — particularly the gay left — would be a bit more interested in not having 16 and 17 year old teenagers classified as young children for legal/sexual/political purposes…
whaaa??? then, how should they be classified? as adults?
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:28 pmwhat is he saying here – seriously – what does he mean?
Hey Citizen+Dad — GO STRAIGHT TO HELL. Most heinous crimes, crimes against humanity, crimes against children, are pepetrated by heterosexual males. Period.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:30 pmaaaaaw… i can’t go on…
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:30 pmwhat else to say about such idiocy…
The age of consent in DC is 16, making Foley nothing but an everyday, garden variety queer trying to hide behind a facade.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:31 pmNo surprise here. There is one thing these guys are great at — demonizing people. It’s been black, latinos, and muslims, now they’re reaching for the ultimate taboo — homosexuality. Let’s link pedophillia with homosexuality (who cares that there is no connection) and see if it sticks as a campaign issue.
They really in rare form now and that says a great deal for this crew.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:33 pmmy conoloences to the families involved as well. I wasn’t aware of her passing. God bless her soul.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:35 pmFox News had Foley emails, didn’t run story
so much for the hannity ‘conspiracy’
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:37 pmAdd sexuality to the depressingly long list of things that Republicans either don’t want to understand, or don’t have the intellectual or moral capacity to understand.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:39 pmWhere did the, “Foley is a known homosexual,” talking point originate? Many assumed, and took for granted, that Foley was gay and all, but he has always been closeted and not “out,” correct?.
Smells like another GOP talking point — manufactured to wedge the conversation towards gay bashing and away from suspected pedophilia and GOP cover-ups in the capitol . Think about it: Florida residents elected, right wing religious leaders supported, and conservative republicans campaigned for a “known homesexual” — yeah, right. Foley isn’t a “known homosexual,” he *was* a suspected homosexual. Now he’s a suspected pedophile — The GOP leadership enabled and covered up criminal behavior — and they’re trying to deflect the heat by playing their “gay” card.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:39 pmMr Evil, It’s not pedophilia unless the hunted is under 12.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:42 pmRemember, in upside down land, black is white, war is peace, etc.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:43 pmThe age of consent in DC is 16, making Foley nothing but an everyday, garden variety queer trying to hide behind a facade.
Comment by beefeater
Yeh GOP ‘facade’, how many more little predators does the GOP have facaded? What if it was your 16 year old son that Foley that was spending his working hours, drunk, as a GOPredator Rep, trying to get into his pants?
Talk about ‘facades’ the GOPredators is like corruption central.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:43 pmthis is not a gay issue. this is not an alcoholic issue. this is an abuse of power and exploitation. hey kid, “do you want to get into a good college?” – I can help you out… ever think of running for office one day? these pages, who are clearly not homosexual, they have girlfriends, play along with Foley because he is a powerful man and can easily stand between them and their future dreams. So maybe the age of consent in DC is 16, but does anyone honestly believe no coercion is taking place here? Pages enter the page program based on their dreams and ambition. Screw any politicians of either party who manipulate these pages by dangling their future dreams in front of their faces – this is psychologically cruel and the worst example to set for our country’s future leaders.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:46 pmMark Foley is yet another member of the long list of closeted Republican lawmakers and their courtesans. Perhaps the reason Mr. Foley has such a special interest in young boys is derived from his repression and utter and complete lack of social development as a result of being a repressed, closeted gay male. Maybe, just maybe, had he been socialized away from the homophobic stance of the modern Republican wingnuttia, he may have come to realize that, for him, being gay is normal, not sick. He then perhaps could have experienced healthier, not self-destructive, relationships with adults.
But, of course, for modern Republican wingnuttia — it’s the Dark Ages 24/7, never mind that its gay members are legion, all a bunch of self-loathing closet cases.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:48 pmHere’s a talking point: Republicans are mostly criminals who can’t keep their pants zipped, AND, everything they’ve touched in terms of policy in the last 50 years has turned directly to shit. All that Republicans have achieved in the last half-century is turning our good, democratic government into a beshitted playground for the morally bankrupt and terminally greed-ridden. I dare anyone to try to prove otherwise using spin-free factual material.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:50 pmThey’re right, homosexuality is a repulsive perversion.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:53 pmCitizen+Dad,
You are kidding, right?
I have spent thousands of hours hanging out with straight men. I have heard countless sexually charged conversations about high school girls. I have watched as they cat called at girls that they knew were high school or even junior high aged.
The unfortunate fact of the matter is, men, hetero or homo, are pigs and MANY men of various orientations are sexually obsessed with young, even illegally young, girls or boys. But to be fair, straight men are FAR more likely to make advances on under aged girls. To a great extent, it’s accepted (for straight men) as long as the girls aren’t prepubescent.
If you don’t think straight men, especially in groups, are FOREVER making inappropriate comments and advancements on 15/16 year old girls, then you are deaf and blind.
Foley is scum and so is the straight man at the convenient store that you see EVERY DAY checking out the 15 year old girl’s ass in line in front of him.
Stop being such an asshole.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:57 pmIf it was a school and a teacher male/female gay/straight was predatoring one of his/her 15-16 yr old students by sending explicit emails Foley would still be wrong for what he did. Even if the DC law is 16 he’s still a GOPredator.
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:59 pmThis, like the Catholic priest pedophilia scandal, is the perfect hypocritical right wing conservative scandal.
Yes it will cost them but they will obscure and misdirect the facts to support their anti-gay campaigns. They can deflect from their own culpability AND demonize innocent gays at the same time.
It worked for the Catholic Church. Why should the Republicans expect anything less?
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:02 pmIt’s my belief that the Republicans could have come out of this looking reasonably good, that is if they had responded in a manner that reflected their supposed “family values”. All they would have had to have done was to come out strongly and unified against Mr. Foley and his behavior. But, instead they play politics, make excuses and blame everyone else for their failings and Mr. Foley’s behavior. I can’t help myself in showing glee when I see the self-destruction of these hypocrites.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:04 pmThe federal internet predator law, that Foley sponsored, makes it a FEDERAL crime to solicit, discuss or alude to anything sexual with a person below the age of 18.
This federal law, which once again Foley sponsored, superceeds any and all state and local regulations concerning age of consent.
The ironic twist is, had Foley met this 16 year old at the grocery store, took him home and had sex with him, it would have been perfectly legal (though ethically vile). But the fact that he discussed things of a sexual nature with the kid over the internet is a felony, thanks to the law that Foley sponsored. Did I mention that Foley sponsored the legislation?
It is always so satisfying to see a person hung by the very rope that they braided with their own hands.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:08 pmI’ve heard some conservatives put forth the idea that the reason Foley got involved with minors, was simply an escalation of his homosexual behavior. Is that insane? Is there total denial that older heterosexual men have ever had interest in underage girls. This is not a homosexual problem.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:08 pmWilly – yer right – if they had come out with guns a blazing and fire and brimstone, condemning Foley and distancing themselves from him, at least they would have had the remote appearance of a backbone.
The problem is they’re clouding the situation with so much bullshit re-pointing of fingers that the unwashed masses will just want the situation to go away, leaving much less fallout than the Repubs deserve.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:11 pmPaul, homosexuals usually do have intentions to molest because of their manipulative behavior. Ask Catholic priests about this issue.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:12 pmPeople who believe homosexuals are predators on young boys are ignorant. Homosexuals are simply that – homosexual. Predators are heterosexual and homosexual. Ignoramuses like to point to the homosexual predator to make their case, but the fact is that sexual proclivity has nothing to do with predatory behavior. Those same people believe rape is a crime of sex, when it is more a crime of violence.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:16 pmIsn’t trying to have 16 year olds classified as young adults been what Jason M Hendler has been posting here for days now. Talk about projection.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:18 pmAs for the stupid bitch who rails against electing out and open homosexuals; what the hell does that have to do with Foley and how would that have changed this situation.
Foley has never been out OR open. He has avoided, lied, covered and dodged discussing the issue. Hardly my idea of out and open.
The fact of the matter is, out and open gay people are the LEAST likely to be pedophiles or sexual deviants. When was the last time you heard of an openly gay person being arrested for child molesting? It’s extremely rare.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:19 pmThe guy who took those girls hostage, sexualy assualted them and killed one of them was a HETEROSEXUAL PREDATOR.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:22 pmThe boy was from Louisiana where the age of consent is 17. Just because his parents allowed him to go to DC, where Foley was waiting to prey on him because the age of consent is 16, doesn’t make it any more acceptable. Foley is a public servant and should be held to a higher standard than a pimp.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:27 pmWe republicans are “the accountability party” because we hold liberals accountable for everything we do.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:27 pmCorrection: Foley WAS a public servant.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:32 pm#81…what makes you think Christ hates homosexuals just because you do? By the way, child molestation is non-denominational.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:43 pm#70 Daryll. Come on. homosexuals have a manipulative nature and heterosexuals have what, complete controll of their behavior? You live in a selective, Bible induced stooper.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:46 pmPLEASE DON’T FEED THE TROLLS!
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:50 pmI warned you that this would end up raising the whole issue of homosexuality and it would be linked to pedophilia. A pedaphile is someone emotionally attracted to a pre-pubescent boy / girl and expresses their emotions sexually. They are not sexually attracted to the boy / girl, because they are not developed sexually. On the other hand, a sexual predator seeks to sexually gratify themselves by sexually assaulting anyone that is weaker than themselves – the elderly, the young, the infirm …
Neither pedophilia, nor sexual predation, has anything to do with hetero- or homosexuality, but once again, Dems are poorly serving their consituents by first incorrectly calling Foley a pedophile, instead of a sexual predator, and secondly, by making this issue much larger than it is, trying to leverage the general anti-gay position of most Americans to their advantage. First Dems throw blacks out of the boat, when it appears that Hispanics may be more important, now they are throwing homosexuals out of the boat, in hopes of taking the House of Representatives.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:51 pmas someone once said, this is…
sick, sick, sick, sick, sick, sick
i have to give WSJ the prize. yeah, we liberals are always promoting toleration of “private lifestyle choices” like pedophilia. we’re such hypocrites for going after hastert. next thing you know we’ll be attacking him for his “private lifestyles choices” with barnyard animals.
and where’s the quote from malkin-coulter saying how this shows how the left are secret homophobes? it just like when they say we’re big racists for not sticking up more for violent criminals and welfare cheats.
aaaaarrrrrrrrrrgh.
October 3rd, 2006 at 5:04 pmbtru,
C’mon, admit it, I’m right. This issue has boomeranged on you, because now the gay community is taking yet another perception hit. How many more anti-gay marriage amendments are on the state ballots in this election? I’ve heard of at least one, so this story is all the voters need to justify it.
You should be proud, at least the mainstream media would have handled this properly, but bloggers got out ahead, and totally muddled the information with whatever sensationalized headlines they could muster.
October 3rd, 2006 at 5:18 pmThese neo-con freaks have no shame. They are without any redeeming qualities whatsoever.
October 3rd, 2006 at 5:24 pmDo not argue this issue. As soon as we make being gay the focus of this scandal, the Republicans win the advantage. As has been said repeatedly here: the scandalously inappropriate behavior of Foley (you don’t need to call it illegal, pedophilia, or anything else), the hypocrisy of the man responsible for the congressional committee designed to protect the young from predators, and the politically repugnant and immoral behavior of the leadership protecting their power–these are the issues of importance. Don’t talk about homosexuality and pedophilia. Don’t argue the law. Look at the soiimple behaviors of these very bad men.
October 3rd, 2006 at 5:28 pm#91, Terry,
You are a freaking genius, keep explaining it to them, and they will finally understand what I told them starting two days ago …
October 3rd, 2006 at 5:30 pm[...] Think Progress [...]
October 3rd, 2006 at 5:45 pmTP I think you must have accidentally erased an earlier comment of mine. Too bad, I thought it was funny as hell. TP should remember that one of the huge advantages of the internet is the prospect of unbowdlerized communication.
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:28 pmTP, now it’s back. My apologies. One question: what the hell is going on?
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:32 pmThe only reason these people don’t have hair on their knuckles is that it gets scraped off on the ground as they walk.
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:53 pmBen Stein had better beware at whom he is throwing stones.
He called me in response to a personal ad 13 years ago when he was married to someone else.
Never got around to mentioning that!
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:55 pmAssholes
October 3rd, 2006 at 7:04 pmThe rubber is meeting the road now and we’re finally seeing just who the real scum in this country are. Anyone that is trying to rationalize this Foley business is immoral…period. Blaming it on homosexuals, election year politics, the boogeyman..whoever, just proves that these people have no moral integrity whatsoever.
October 3rd, 2006 at 7:10 pmIt’s really discouraging to read the weak arguments in the quotes above. The word “gay” refers to any man as subject who’s gender object choice is another man. A pedophile is an individual who likes children sexually. Pay attention that gender object choice is not specified in the definition of the word pedophilia as it is with with the word gay.
Therefore, you can’t really be gay and a pedophile at the same time. A man that likes young boys is simply a pedophile, because he likes children. To use symbols, one can not say that A is B. A is A, and B is B.
October 3rd, 2006 at 7:37 pm*Sigh*…what do you expect from the ultra-right-wing? Unfortunately for them, the facts don’t go away or change simply because they’re ignored — and the fact remains that the overwhelming majority of convicted child molesters are people who identify themselves as heterosexual, including many so-called upstanding “family men” with wives and even children of their own. This is at least in part because like rape, the sexual exploitation is not really about sexuality as it is about having control over the other person. Most children (prepubescent or otherwise) often do not have the maturity or the life experience to perceive, suspect, comprehend, and sufficiently resist the machinations of the predator.
October 3rd, 2006 at 7:57 pmGays want to have sex with young boys? No, we want to have sex with Ben Stein!
October 3rd, 2006 at 8:09 pmThink about today’s news & think about how repressed childhood trauma, family abuse, etc. are being played out by adults. What if there was more readily available counseling and psychiatric help for those who want and need it?
That’s the issue, and it’s no secret that the Bush administration’s support and funding for such services has been dismal. Because of cuts in federal funding states have been cutting, cutting, cutting these important services.
October 3rd, 2006 at 8:21 pm[...] Great, right? But I wonder if all this press about Foley going after 16 yr old boys is only furthering popular misconceptions about homosexuality? You can hear it in the voices of the conservatives who are calling for his ouster — especially people like Bay Buchanan — who see this as nothing less than confirmation of their beliefs that homosexuals are out to “convert” and/or molest their perfect little churchgoing children. In fact, this backlash has already begun. [...]
October 3rd, 2006 at 9:11 pmI just lost every ounce of respect I once had for Ben Stein.
October 4th, 2006 at 2:32 amDammit people!!!! I think this is disgusting. I think this is an awful abuse of power and the law, but please, PLEASE, stop using the term pedophilia and pedophile. This is NOT pedophilia. Pedophilia involves prepubescent boys under the age of 13. What Foley did was ephebophilia. I just wish people would be more precise and knowledgeable in their terms. People ignorantly throw words about not knowing what the hell they are talking about, and this is one example. Dammit, get terms correct!!! (And, yes it does matter. The right is great at lying and calling “x” “y” and “y” “x.” We are better than that.
October 4th, 2006 at 8:31 amWhat about democrat Bob Beckel? He said that a Homosexual should immediately be put under suspicion. But that’s ok, right
October 4th, 2006 at 8:48 amThis is what happens when you put conservative, uptight, power hungry, war mongering, fear mongering, homophobic malcontents in office and let them run everything. There are no checks and balances anymore. The good thing is that because of their denial, apparent cover up and subsequent knee jerk reaction of “when all else fails, blame the gays to pander to our base”. They make themselves the ass without us having to do anything. Sorry you have have to deal with such ignorance “nomorebush”. Hey, were you aware of the double message in your screen name? No disrespect, made me chuckle for a second. The bad thing in all of this is no one is talking about the fact that our constitutional rights are being wadded up and used for toilet paper by the administration.
October 4th, 2006 at 10:36 amBeing gay is NOT being a pedophile. A pedophile is exactly what he or she is – sick. If Republicans would just get an education, learn to read and get a life, they’d not have to be defending a pedophile and attacking gays. You are a right wing Christian fanatical zealot, breeding terrorism in the world. Bet you don’t like that statement you f%$#ing losers.
Republicans, your high horse left without you.
October 4th, 2006 at 11:39 amI’ll preface my comment by first admitting that my political views fall between those held by the Democrat and Republican parties. I consider myself a secular humanist and believe both parties suffer from inappropriate behavior (not just sexual).
However, as a newcomer to this site, I am disturbed by the amount of broad vitriolic hatred most (not all) posters included in their comments. As long as the a two party system dominates, neither political party and it’s members, will serve America’s (remember the country we ALL live in) best interests.
Civility is a two-way street.
October 4th, 2006 at 1:28 pmHere is a sample of why it is not a gay versus straight issue, but totally a 100% hands off the children issue.
http://www.wptz.com/news/4069697/detail.html?subid=22101163&qs=1;bp=t
PS – I’m gay, out, 49, and would NEVER touch a child. NEVER.
October 4th, 2006 at 2:15 pm[...] Predictably, the “social-conservative” right is managing to both ignore the real responsibility that the Republican leadership has for ignoring Mark Foley’s predatory behavior, and to use the whole thing as an occasion for gay-bashing. Yep, the word in the religious right circles is that the leaders couldn’t make a fuss over Foley pursuing 16-year-olds because that would have been seen as homophobic. Because, of course, all homosexuals are pedophiles. [...]
October 4th, 2006 at 4:00 pmQuestion, would it be out of the question to have a national referendum on whether or not we, the tax paying public, have any confidence whatsoever in the current administration and congress? Let’s see, a 700 mile fence along our southern border, Katrina, Abramoff, wire taps, secret prisons and out sourced “Interrogation”, THOUSANDS of lives lost on both sides of the Iraq civil war, oh and speaking of which costs $2 BILLION a week. Confidence, Puhlease!!
October 4th, 2006 at 6:59 pmI think you will see the Neocons take this scandal and spin it like crazy to deflect attention from the men who covered up Foley’s indiscretions – they’ll encourage the lynching of Foley and gays and the muddying of the issues – they don’t want Dennis Hastert and his powerful cronies exposed or possibly charged with crimes in protecting a pedophile. They’re doing it …. and they will throw all the loaded buzz words out to deflect the truth … and they are doing it. I don’t believe for a minute that Foley’s whining about being alcoholic or whining about being molested as a child is true – I think he was told to say these things in order to avoid responsibility and save some Republican butts. Also to play up the image they want to create of Democrats being pushovers with people who have been victimized or who have addictions and having no control over themselves. These people are master manipulators, very Machiavellian, very sociopathic.
October 5th, 2006 at 8:30 amUnbelievable Mr. Stein. I am from the South… you? I hope it won’t come as a surprise to anyone that a big part of displaying the Confederate flag has everything to do with racism. Also, have you asked all of your gay friends about their interest in young boys? Are your friends pedophiles, or are they gay men only interested in gay men? Better check. This scandal and the utter incompetence of the White House is a problem of your party sir. I can tell you if the tables were turned you bastards would be relentless in your pursuit of this pedophile (you obviously are obsessed with Monica), but I am more astonished at your ignorance than anything else in this article.
October 5th, 2006 at 8:31 amOpen or suspected religious fundamental extremists should never be elected. The problem with fundamentalists is that they frequently don’t have common sense and don’t acknowledge appropriate boundaries.
just sayin’…
Comment by katy — October 3, 2006 @ 3:23 pm
EXACTLY
October 5th, 2006 at 8:52 amPower at any cost, whether it’s dead kids in Iraq or destroyed lives at home, that’s the Grand Ole Party for you. I love how they keep bringing up Studds during this (wasn’t that the 80s?) … like they keeping bringing up Clinton’s ‘failure’ to get bin Laden before 2000 (I guess the Presidency comes with training-wheels for Junior Bush). Why can’t they just follow George off a cliff like good little lemmings? I want my country back.
October 5th, 2006 at 9:59 amAs a Canadian listening in, I have to tell you I rejoice everytime the Republicans/media do anything that increases outrage against the party in power and its bubblehead leader. I have many loved relatives in the US and I won’t feel they are safe until the right is no longer in power. Surely, surely (please, please) we can hope that the ridiculous suggestion that “Gay” and “Pedophilia” are inextricably linked will help people stop and actually hear the ignorance of the group who are presently in charge of so many lives. Doesn’t it frighten you all to think about how little regard they have for the lifeways of the world’s people? Racism and greed are the real rationales for US foreign policy under this government.
Primeminister Trudeau once said the “government has no business in the bedrooms of the nation.” Hear, Hear. They do have a place in the predatory caves of pedophiles where they need to hunt and protect children. The addresses are not the same.
Shelley – British Columbia
October 5th, 2006 at 10:09 amAs a gay young person, I have certainly been groped and proposed by quite a hell of a lot of 50+ old men. And guess what: They are all like Foley, repressing their sexuality and appearing as christian caring straights on the outside. So the goddamn rightwingers would be better of complaining about how all *republican closet-gays* seem to have perverted tendencies instead of being able to live out their sexuality in normal fashion.
October 5th, 2006 at 10:56 amFACT: 98% of molested males and 99.6% of molested girls are victims of HETEROsexuals.
October 5th, 2006 at 11:36 amI find it interesting that issues of human sexuality bring out the moral outrage, while taking programs away from our soldiers and poor so that tax breaks can be given to the rich does not get the same reaction. If these so called Chrisitians were to take a gander at the Old Testament, they would see the prophets condemned the lack of compassion for the ‘widows and orphans’ as much if not more than any kind of sexual issues. As long as the American cultures is obsessed with sex and sees it as inately evil and dirty, we will continue to miss the point of what is truly a moral outrage. Pedophilia is wrong and reprehensible because it is using children for an adult’s gratification in a sexual manner. Yet, the Republican party turns a blind eye to using children for adult gratification when it comes to programs for schools, health insurance, food programs, disaster relief–all cut for the gratification of adults who are rich and powerful. Hypocrisy abounds.
October 5th, 2006 at 11:38 amFormer Florida Rep. Foley, the force behind the Adam Walsh Act and the leading member of the House Caucus for Missing and Exploited Children proved that sex offender proximity and community notification laws are ineffective and do absolutely nothing to make children safe. The original intent of sex offender registry and community notification laws were designed for law enforcement to track the most violent and predatory offenders.
So, what are the facts and what are the myths?
Myth – Strangers are lurking at school bus stops or around playgrounds looking for children to molest.
Fact – The politicians, and some in the media, want you to believe in the stranger danger myth. The fact is that, according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, American Psychological Association, the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, and other experts; children are abused by a family member or someone trusted by the family in around 90 percent of all the cases.
Myth – Depraved adults commit all sex crimes.
Fact – The Department of Justice own statistics show that about 40% of sex crimes committed against someone under 18 are by a juvenile; most are consensual sex by teenagers, others are older children acting out against a younger relative or friend.
Myth – Men who molest boys are homosexuals or bisexual.
Fact – According to the October 5, 2006 issue of Pediatrics, the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, 98% of molested males and 99.6% of molested girls are victims of Heterosexuals.
Myth – Sex offenders have the highest recidivism rate (some quote 95%) and allowing them back into society is a mistake.
Fact – Again, according to the U.S. Dept. of Justice and other studies done since 1994, sex offenders commit another crime, of any kind, at a average rate of just thirteen percent, while those convicted of property theft reoffend (steal again) at an average of 75%. People convicted of drunk driving will reoffend at a rate of 51%, while a convicted murderer will reoffend at a rate of 41%. Ex-convicts with a non-sex offense charge are 87% more likely to commit a sex offense than a convicted sex offender in therapy is.
There are solutions that protect all families. Treatment of high-risk separately from that of low-risk offenders. Civil commitment for Predators. Assess risk level prior to re-entry into society, implement GPS monitoring and bi-annual assessment of high-risk offenders until their determined risk is lowered. Immediate removal of community notification for low-risk offenders (teenage consensual sex and one time intra-familial) increasing its effectiveness to law enforcement, state corrections, and the courts. Develop standardized investigative techniques, creating an accurate litmus test to determine false allegations from factual sex abuse cases. Prevention programs for teens and young adults to prevent sex abuse through development of successful coping skills and through understanding of appropriate boundaries.
At the end of the day, in lieu of fostering a fearful witch-hunt mentality for election year sound bites, legislators should step up to this societal challenge. Additionally, the media should strive to dispel the myths and create the environment for policy and subsequent legislation to succeed, creating a safe society for all children.
October 5th, 2006 at 1:26 pmI am an old heterosexual woman. As I believe is true of most females, I was sexually assaulted by a middle-age man when I was a child; date raped several times when I was a teenager and adult. In each case, a heterosexual male was the perpetrator. Should we accuse or suspect all heterosexual males of sexual abuse of females based on my experiences? Of course not. Should we accuse or suspect all adult homosexuals of pedophilia based on Foley’s behavior? Of course not.
The people of the USA should condemn the coverup of Foley’s behavior by his colleagues in the Congress: however, it won’t happen as the people of the nation should have long ago demanded that Bush-Cheney be impeached for the growing list of their abuses of and/or crimes against the US Constitution and the people of Iraq and people who are being held as detainees and rendered to other countries for torture, without showing just cause.
October 5th, 2006 at 1:34 pmMan on Dog
Gay on Dog
Gay on Boy
All are way, way out there!
Whew! At least they can’t procreate.
October 5th, 2006 at 2:08 pmOne of the big confusions I see here is that “underage” means different things in different states. There is no social standard other than everyone agrees that pre-pubescent groping is bad.
Age of consent in Washington, DC is 16… In some states and other industrialized countries it is as low as 14. In Florida, it is 18 (with exceptions). Its the old “yes you’re an adult, no you’re not” problem most teens face (14, 16, 18, 21, 25).
The real crime Foley committed is sexual harassment — using his position of power to get his jollies from underlings, like a boss who gropes his secretary and she can’t say much if she wants to move up in the company. As a registered Republican, I’ll be voting straight ticket for the first time in my life — all Democrat, I don’t care if the Dem is dead, a houseplant, or Canadian… I’m voting for Democrats.
October 5th, 2006 at 2:30 pm(note: voted for Gore and Kerry because as a Texan I knew Bush was a malevolent little moron from way back… anyone else miss Bob Dole at this point?)
What? Has Little Linda Harvey never seen heteros do weird sex? Oh, and there sure aren’t any public displays of hetero affection ANYWHERE…on TV or in the movies….or at restaurants or in the park or…. And she’s never seen hetero nudity in a film or advert? She knows of no incident where older men or older women go after younger members of the opposite sex. Everyone who is hetero and married are ALL about the same age?
What the hell planet is she from?
Poor Jonah Goldberg. Obviously clueless when it comes to human sexuality. Certainly during the Clinton years too. It’s like Goldberg has never had sex with anyone and is not interested in doing so ever. But she’ll use it to attack others. Must be bitter.
What to these types do….roll around in their money for a kick? Isn’t it pitiful and scary how ashamed and scared they are [or pretend to be] of human sexuality? Sick! As sick as petophelia! Very unhealthy!
October 5th, 2006 at 2:50 pmAs a straight kid who grew up in Greenwhich village, NY, and was raised in a very large gay community, you learn a few things. One is that my gay friends threw the best parties to meet girls at, and the other thing you learn is that people are people.
It really amazes me that in this day and age, there are peoplein leadership positions and “respectable” media outlets that continue to stigmatize a whole community because they claim it differs from the mainstream. THe way I grew up, it was my mainstream.
These ultra-conservatives are the freaks. How else can you explain Foley even excepting a position on a committee against exploiting children when he himself is a predator.
THe real problem is that Americans have a short memory and the Right wingers will stay on point, bashing into the heads of our citizens that what Foley did is no more repugnant than what Clinton did.
Even though What Clinton did was between two consenting adults, if the Republicans stay on point, those short memory americans will forget this whole shameful fiasco
October 5th, 2006 at 3:23 pmPedophillia – Is being sexually attracted primarily or exclusively to prepubescent or peripubescent children.
Predator – Is an animal or other organism that hunts and kills other organisms, called prey, for food in an act called predation.
Now, if Mark Foley was talking to underage kids, like 13 and below, then he would be a Pedophile.
Sex Offender does not mean Predator, Pedophile. There is people labeled as a sex offender for urinating in the woods in public and being caught.
Now, if this were the average American, they would already be in jail, bonded out and waiting on a court date. If mister Foley is found guilty, he needs to be living by the same rules he helped pass, meaning jail/prison (minimum to maximum sentence), probation and be on the sex offender registry and live by the same rules every other sex offender does.
The laws created by this man, does NOTHING to protect kids from predators or violent people. They are only a false sense of security and do nothing to prevent this type of stuff. The sex offender laws need to be passed so the violent and predators should obide by them, the majority of the sex offenders on the registry are NOT these violent predators or “pedophiles” everyone has been lead to believe. This was only done for votes, nothing more. We need to do something to protect the kids from violent or predators and make them fair so the CHILDREN and FAMILIES of sex offenders do not get punished for something someone did in their families. BANISHMENT IS NOT THE ANSWER!!!
October 5th, 2006 at 3:23 pmthe other factor that is not mentioned is that Foley was in a position of authority toward the boy-pages and that makes the relationship also abusive…
October 5th, 2006 at 3:53 pmNice – too bad almost all child molestors are straight men. Can’t get around the facts on this can we?
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/94/1/41
October 5th, 2006 at 4:35 pmThis is how the GOP has decided to “make lemonade” as it were…
October 5th, 2006 at 4:36 pmThe problem for them in demonizing gays in general ( as opposed to “gay” marriage) is that there are several, very prominent Republicans who are known to be gay. Two of them are usually very visible at election time, stumping for the party and outlining strategies. They must be shaking in their shoes…and they are curiously absent from the stage at this time.
This round of gay-bashing may soothe the GOP’s evengelical base, but in doing so they are neutering some of their best and brightest and inviting the Dems to pry the closet door off its hinges.
The Foley scandal is yet another episode of extreme GOP hyprocrisy!!! The fact that Representative Foley was chair of a Congressional Committee to protect and safeguard children as former US Represenatative Robert Barr (R)-Georgia who has been married THREE times and had his share of adulterous affairs authoring and being the lead sponsor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Take the hetrosexual Daniel Crane (R) of Illinois who in 1983 was exposed for having an affair with a 16 year old female page three years earlier. Crane was a “traditional family values Republican”. The voters of his Illinois Congressional District denied him another term in 1984.
October 5th, 2006 at 5:34 pmdoes foley’s drinking problem protect him from the law?
October 5th, 2006 at 10:24 pmdoes foley’s homosexuality protect him from the law?
does foley’s abuse of his workers(sexual harrasment) excuse him from the law?
does foley’s checking into REHAB some how protect him from the law?
i guess my question is –where is the law?
why isnt foley and everyone that was aware of this going on not in jail or being arrested?
dont these kids have rights?
or they below the corupt bushit warmongering, fearmongering, look the otherway when it is conveiant for them bas*&*ds.
sorry for the rant–love ya randy!
Haha…the Irony! I haven’t read the whole string, but has anyone mentioned the fact that Foley could possibly be prosecuted with the legislation he supported and actually contributed to? (John Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act of 2006)
These guys are nuts. I just don’t get it. Also pretty stupid too. To actually get on their high horse and talk about moral values this and moral values that, how homosexuals are sick, and shouldn’t marry, and all this other BS. All the while they’re hitting on or molesting little kids and cheating on their wives.
And why is it that whenever another big scandal comes out with Congress, it’s almost always with Republicans lately? Hmm…it must be the “liberal” media only reporting on the Republican sickos, right?
October 5th, 2006 at 11:05 pmHi Randi
October 6th, 2006 at 12:15 amMy biggest fears is that these high ranking people are reaching-out to young kids, they will teach, train, and corrupt them. In the next fifteen years those kids will earn enough power to become our nation new leaders, to my mind they are going to be worst than what we have now, therefore, we must stop them, keep them away from these kids and save our future generation.
Like the rest of the nation, I too have been distracted by the latest “Pants Down Scandal”. It’s sexy! However, it’s getting in the way of bush’s own grab for a dictator’s power, as he takes a HUGE dump on the US Condition. And, with his moron’s grin, goes yup-yipping it back to the bank, a billionaire.
Is anyone ELSE besides ME, bothered that little lord Fauntleroy (bush) is THE ONLY president EVER to slime his way into the presidency a millionaire, and eight years later to leave the office he NEVER was elected into a billionaire.
Frankly, I think the NEOCON have given the ENTIRE nation a size 18 butt-hole! (Figuratively)
In return, we should toss that Little pigphucker a party in return. While here, get him good and loaded, and return the favor. Let give HIM a size 22 bunghole! bush deserves NOTHING less! Can I get an amen?
October 6th, 2006 at 2:25 amAmazing how the same Republicans dig deeper their own graves. But where will they bury their lies? Statistically, over 82% of pedophiles are heterosexuals. Also, is there any credibility to this news about a Homeland Security official who was also reported for pedophilia, but reports to the WH were again ignored?
http://www.alternet.org/story/34528/
October 6th, 2006 at 3:15 amSO TYPICAL OF REPIGLICANS,GAY EQUALS “CHILD MOLESTER”,and yet most of them are HETEROSEXUAL,and hasn’t anyone in america watched the nbc shows where they “nab em”,god,all american heterosexual married men,WITH CHILDREN,trying to nail boys and girls.YEP,FOLEY IS A CHILD MOLESTER,NOT A “GAY MAN”,and alcoholics vomiting DO NOT MOLEST WHEN THEY ARE INTOXICATED EITHER,pigs,vote these pigs out now,BEFORE IT’STOO LATE,and get ahold of that pig hannity,and limbaugh,ONCE AGAIN THEY ARE BLAMING THE “VICTIMS”,INNOCENT CHILDREN, but that shouldn’t suprise us,WE HAVE MURDERED NEARLY 3,000 IN THE ILLEGAL “IRAQI VIETNAM”,so what’s they heck,just a few kids ruined for life,EMAIL HANNITY,LIMBURGER,AND THE REST,TELL THEM THEY’RE PIGS,THERE DAYS ARE NUMBERED.GET OUT AND VOTE,VOTE FOR ANYONE BUT REPIGLICANS
October 6th, 2006 at 3:30 amThere’s really no need to argue the age of consent issue. Regardless of the age of consent (however your state might define it), being “of age” does not mean consent was given.
Oh. And I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch “Win Ben Stein’s Money” again.
October 6th, 2006 at 5:24 amAlcoholism is not a valid excuse. If he was too drunk to use good judgement, he would have been too drunk to type a comprehensible IM. I can hardly type on those little phones when I’m sober!!
October 6th, 2006 at 8:33 amQueers spread AIDS and molest children. Normal people find them disgusting which is why they belong to the Democrats.
October 6th, 2006 at 2:47 pmIn a period where there were 2 horrific tragedies where heterosexual sexual predators rounded up young school girls and then molested and murdered them, it amazes me that these simpletons jump so swiftly on a pedophile-homosexual connection in the Foley fiasco. Using their logic, we should all keep our little girls away from the sick , twisted and perverted older straight white male.
October 7th, 2006 at 7:48 amFacts are facts. The majority of child molestors are heterosexual. But another fact to go along with it…there are far more heterosexuals than homosexuals. Another fact that you’ll probably be uncomfortable with: porportionately, homosexuals are more likely to be pedophiles than heterosexuals.
What some of these conservative commentators are saying just rings a little too true for the pro-gay lobby. Instead of attacking those who point out the truth, try attacking the source of your shame.
October 7th, 2006 at 1:47 pmholas
October 7th, 2006 at 7:32 pmOctober 7th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
I’ve read through all of the 149 comments posted so far because I believe
October 10th, 2006 at 2:25 pmin the Democratic philosophy of tolerance and health, I’m searching for some
guidance towards sanity.
Overcoming fear in every form should be our highest priority.
The Republicans have a real talent for invoking hysteria, we need to raise
conciousness instead of stooping to their level in name calling.
We need to stop being seduced by their cheap freak show theatrics.
We need to see and respect the humanity in everyone ,and stop trying to isolate ourselves in “us vs. them”strategies, because alienation only continues to feed the fear.The abusers and the abused both need to be taken care of. In order to maintain a healthy society of individuals, we need
to develop compassion for each other, especially when we fail.There’s no other way. We can’t allow the immature to ruin our collective health.
It’s not about congressmen, pages or even sexual orientation, it’s about distraction. Distraction like playing “hide the Condi” in Bagdad so no one can ask her tough questions about her lies covering up administration incompetence. The fact is that no one in the White House did anything even remotely resembling the jobs they were supposed to be doing before September 11th, and that they lied to cover that up, and the 9/11 commission did nothing to uncover those facts, and now Condi has been caught blatently lying to back up her previous lies. What will the media do with this bombshell? I hear Wolf is going to have a chat with her about what? – North Korea’s supposed nuclear test. I wouldn’t out it past the administration to have negotiated in secret with N.K. to have them fake a nuke test, so Condi will have her distraction and can come home, and W can rattle his sabers and appear “confrontational.” W doesn’t have to worry about anyone thinking a nuclear NK. is his fault because that shill McCain is already blaming this test on Clinton’s administration. Worthless f**cking losers, everyone of them.
October 10th, 2006 at 3:41 pmThe repubs talking points include bringing up scandals that happened more than 20 years ago!?! That’s their defense? I want to vomit when I see one of these slick mealy mouthed hypocrites on TV putting their vile, deceitful spin on this shameful scandal.
October 10th, 2006 at 3:51 pmMore Queer stuff….
Some of that unwarranted blame is the fallout of religious institutions that consistently demonize queer folk, who have been part of human society for as long as humans have existed yet still make convenient targets when a conspiratorial scapegoat is…..
October 10th, 2006 at 4:46 pmG.O.P. = Gay Old Polititians
October 10th, 2006 at 5:44 pm[...] Since the Foley scandal broke, many right-wing activists have attempted to brand the scandal as a homosexual issue. Linda Harvey of the conservative site WorldNetDaily stated that “sex with youth are built into the ‘gay’ sub-culture” and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said that “neither party seems likely to address the real issue, which is the link between homosexuality and child sexual abuse.” [...]
October 14th, 2006 at 3:06 pmThis guy ran a political race in FL in which he lied to the people about his sexuality. He voted against himself when he introduced and got passed child protection laws. Even now he is blaming his actions on alcohol. This guy has some serious issues with self worth and the truth. The fact that the object of his affection (or should I say perversion) was of the same sex as him means nothing. I don’t have the link but many psychologists now are starting to say that extreme conservatism is actually a mental disorder that has a lot to do with making yourself and others believe in a view of the world that doesn’t deal in reality and in the fact that others are going to do what they want to do in a free society. This guy is nuts, plain and simple and his cronies believe in the same crazy non-reality based world of conservatism so they thought if they covered it up, the fact that it was happening would just go away. Sounds just like the crazy rhetoric of the commander in chief, can’t wait to get rid of these idiots and take back our country!!! After being in control for so long their lies and ‘untruths’ are starting to show. This is why we don’t have a one party system, the checks and balances and scrutiny of the other parties bring out the truth where scoundrels would try to cover things up. When you tell yourself over and over that what you are doing is correct and good for everyone, you lose sight of what it is that you originally set out to do no matter how good your original intentions were. His party and other in Washington ignored his behavior and in his mind it started to become ok otherwise he would never have had the gall to ry to get into the dorm. I could be wrong… He could just be completely insane!.
October 17th, 2006 at 4:38 pmhttp://myblogma.com/handbags/ handbags handbags
December 8th, 2006 at 3:56 am[...] Or that all gays are really pederasts, anyway. Or that all molesting and gays and whatnot are really the fault of the liberals and the liberal media destroying America’s values. [...]
April 13th, 2007 at 11:06 am