Homo say what?

Via the always charming TBogg I discovered that Kevin Drum at the Washington Monthly posted this lovely piece:

"WHISPERING CAMPAIGN....Is every single liberal blog in the world planning to post a sniggering, wink-wink-nudge-nudge mention that David Dreier is rumored to be gay? Pardon me while I throw up.

"And spare me the drivel about the "principled" case for outing gay politicians. I'm not buying, and there's nothing principled going on here in any case. It's just childish nonsense that perpetuates the notion that there's something sordid about being gay. Conservatives were wrong to conduct a decade long witch hunt against Bill Clinton's sex life, and liberals are wrong to join in when the shoe is on the other foot.

"(Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm living in the past. Sigh.)"

I don't regularly read Kevin Drum, so I don't know a whole lot about him or his angle on things, but this annoyed me so I'll comment a little bit.

I will spare you the principled case for outing gay republicans; this has nothing to do with principles and everything to do with consequences. Any public figure who is gay and doesn't care to talk about being gay should tread very softly on gay topics and be very aware that how they vote on issues which effect gay people is not going to go unnoticed. If you are going to bash gay folks (and that damn gay marriage amendment had everything to do with gay bashing; its whole point was giving the GOP a public excuse for saying "we don't like gay people either" to the garner the bigot vote and try to put in the fucking constitution that gay people matter less under the law), you better believe we are going to come back swinging. No, we don't think there is a damn thing shameful about being gay, but if you are going to act like it is a dirty little secret and publically attack gay people, we are going to ask you why as a gay person you are doing it.

I can think of at least one prominent Republican senator who is gay and closeted whose sexuality is damn near never mentioned because he wouldn't touch anti gay legislation with a ten foot pole. And honestly, I don't really think it is because he is all that progressive, but a southern homosexual don't get so far if he doesn't understand a little bit of delicate quid pro quo. He wants to keep his sexuality quiet and keep from riling the bigot vote back home but he also knows better than to try and rally them by backing anti-gay shit. Why does drier think he can do that without incurring a backlash?

This is not the 1950's. Gay people don't just stay in their place and do what they are told. You can't treat us like trash and pretend you aren't one of us and expect us to shut the hell up. Homo say what?

Kevin's got comments and I want to comment on two of them:

"I generally agree with you, and I'm against outing under any circumstances. That said, the fact that the Republicans get a lot of support by fanning the flames of the worst sort of homophobia, while simultaneously tolerating gays in high-level positions within the party, constitutes such revolting and rank hypocrisy that it begs to be mentioned."

Why are you against outing under any circumstances? and if you are, why are you saying you are sort of for them?

and another commentor:

"Sorry, Kevin - gotta depart with you on this one.

It's one thing for a gay to be in the closet and just not think his sexuality is anyone's business. (Anderson Cooper springs to mind.)..."

Ok, this Anderson Cooper shit is annoying as hell. I'm tired of Michael Musto constantly picking at him to publicize him sexuality and all these other folks calling for him to come out. Where in the hell is he going to come out from? The man is out. He doesn't hide his sexuality, he doesn't sneak around with closet cases in secret backrooms, he doesn't strut around with a beard; he's out in gay bars, at parties, all over new york, but he doesn't have a serious partner (or hasn't for too long if he does now) so why in the hell would he talk about who he is dating publicly? Do other single newscasters bring up their dating life publicly? There is a difference between trying to keep the private out of your public life as a celebrity and being a closet case. Leave the man the hell alone and just let him be a reporter. He's been doing a pretty good job at that lately and we need every decent reporter we can get these days.

But yeah, if kenneth melhman and david drier and whoever the hell else want to push anti-gay public policy and use homophobic rhetoric to fluff the bigot vote they better find an ex-gay program that works (good luck) and start munching cooter or they are damn well going to have their cock loving ways shoved down their self-loathing throats.