I think some amount of applause is due to Ken Mehlman, the former chairman of the RNC who also served as Bush campaign manager in 2004. Mehlman announced in a magazine interview that he is gay. And, as someone snarkily put it, he wasn’t even arrested before he made the announcement. Even more, he plans on becoming an advocate for gay marriage. Says Mehlman:
It’s taken me 43 years to get comfortable with that part of my life. Everybody has their own path to travel, their own journey, and for me, over the past few months, I’ve told my family, friends, former colleagues and current colleagues and they’ve been wonderful and supportive. The process has been something that has made me a happier and better person. It’s something I wish I had done years ago.
It is something we wish he had done years ago, too, since ironically Mehlman’s leadership positions in the Republican party came at a time when they were working hard to get anti-gay marriage amendments passed in many states. Mehlman now states that, as a solitary Republican, he could not go against the party consensus, but that he wishes he had tried.
Still, I’ll take his contrition as a breath of fresh air, and hope that this helps counter increasingly anti-gay sentiments coming from the Republican party.
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I am at a complete loss to explain the phenomenon of gay individuals who work hard to advance a decidedly anti-homosexual, pro-discrimination agenda. I don’t know if it is some sort of internal conflict or huge weight of guilt thrust upon them their parents or religion, or if it’s something else. I understand those who remain in the closet, for fear of discrimination, but this “self-loathing” (if that’s what it is) is really foreign to me.
Perhaps the problem is that Mehlman, like others, was raised thinking that homosexuality was bad, and so if he admitted to himself he was homosexual he would be admitting that he was a bad person. It takes a long time to get beyond that kind of conditioning because it requires rejecting the beliefs of your parents and peers.
Whether it’s sexuality (Mehlman) or even something more sinister such as Gambling (Benett), Adultery (Gingrich), recreational drug use (Bush) or whatever… Personally I really couldn’t care less about the “vice.” It’s the decadses of HYPOCRISY that really bother me to no end.
Bewteen skeletons and homosexuals, there’s not enough room left in the Republican’s closet to even hang a light windbreaker. I hope the gay community treats him shabbily for as many years as he treated them that way.
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You made my Hall of Fame this month, BTW!
Thanks Eddie!
I think it’s worth mentioning the ‘fundamental’ cause of anti-homosexual sentiment in this country (along with many other countries). This ties into Sammy’s and Haggard’s comments; it explains “the phenomenon of gay individuals who work hard to advance a decidedly anti-homosexual, pro-discrimination agenda.” It also explains how Mehlman could be “raised thinking that homosexuality was bad.”
“You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination.”
-Leviticus 18:22
“If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their bloodguiltness is upon them.”
-Leviticus 20:13
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
-Corinthians 6:9-10
“For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.”
-Romans 1:26-28
I have a huge problem with his coming out because of his complicity in the awful, homophobic policies of that party and that administration.
I can respect staying closeted but to actively work as a bigot? Never.
“Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor REVILERS, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
Websters Dictionary says:
revile – to use abusive or scornful language against (someone or something)
…
Well, I guess that means Westboro Baptist is pretty much fucked.
Sammy: I think “self-loathing” is a really good term to use for this. In response to the rest of your comment, though, let me just say that I’ve had a couple friends who were in the closet for years and had this severe hatred towards homosexuals…simply because of the struggle that was going on inside of them. They came out later, of course (generally after high school), and realized how hypocritical they were being.
There’s that old saying, “What you hate most in others may be a shadow in yourself.” That’s basically what one of them told me. She was so scared of being gay and of the possibility of being disowned by her family that she turned that fear into hatred.
It may indeed be a mixture of the things you mentioned (“some sort of internal conflict or huge weight of guilt thrust upon them their parents or religion”). I agree with you, though, that it is difficult to understand.
as i can see it is one of the most discussed topic in intenet. most of people have very negative reaction for this event. but what is wrong with being gay? usa is so famous for being very tolerant country from one point of view and from another – most of population are against same-sex marriages and homosexualism. its crazy
@Chelsey: No, I mean self-loathing is foreign to me because I’m such a conceited narcissist. 😉
Will conceited narcissists inherit the kingdom of God? Inquiring minds want to know!
@ Chelsey – you hit the nail on the head, exactly.
@ Chinagreen elvis – Yes, on the WBC, except they’re all inbred schizophrenics so I doubt they can be held fully accountable at st pete’s gate.
@Sammy and IK – narcissist are the kingdom IK, didn’t you know.