The Nation -- What's up with Republican politicos getting arrested by undercover cops for soliciting sex in public restrooms? First, Florida state representative Bob Allen, formerly John McCain's state campaign co-chair, was arrested in July after he offered a police officer $20 for the privilege of performing oral sex. And today, news broke that back in June, Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho), long the subject of gay rumors, was arrested in a Minnesota airport by a plainclothes cop investigating lewd conduct in the men's bathroom. Both men are married--to women. (See Max Blumenthal at Campaign Matters for more details.)
The moment is so thick with irony, I scarcely know where to begin. But let's start with their incredibly lame attempts at damage control. Upon arrest, both Allen and Craig attempted to use their positions of power to escape charges (Craig handed over his US Senate business card to the officer and asked, "What do you think about that?).
Post-arrest, Allen, appealing at once to homophobia and racism, mounted a "black (gay) panic" defense. You see he wasn't really interested in giving head, he was just trying to save his neck. Apparently, the cop was "a pretty stocky black guy" and "there were nothing but other black guys around in the park." Fearing he was "about to become a statistic," Allen did what any other, rational, straight (straight!), white man would do if he just so happened to find himself cruising a public restroom full of black men: fork over a Jackson and drop to your knees.
Less hysterical, but equally flimsy, is Craig's story. Through his spokesman, Craig said that the whole incident was just a "he said/he said misunderstanding." Last year, when gay blogger Mike Rogers alleged that Craig had engaged in same-sex relations, Craig called the story "absolutely ridiculous, almost laughable." I wonder if Craig was laughing on August 8--when he plead guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges in a Minnesota County Court.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20070828/cm_thenation/15227318There is nothing wrong with being gay...or being bi or straight. But there IS something very wrong with lying about who and what you are and making a total fool of yourself. Even worse? Being so full of self-hatred (apparently) that one is bigoted about what one is.
Sen Craig, Rep Allen: Please come out of the closet. You are what you are and there is nothing wrong with being something other than 100% straight. However, there IS something wrong with lying to yourself and/or covering up the way you were born and your natural inclinations/sexual orientation to win votes and keep a job. That is soooooooo out of line....and very sad. Give up the hypocrisy and deal with reality, OK? You don't need to hide out in any bathrooms to get what you want...there is NOTHING wrong with what you want...but there sure is something wrong with looking for sex in all the wrong places.
JMHO