The Missing Story about Sen. Larry Craig

As I have watched the many stories about Sen. Craig unfold, I cannot help but feel that most of the News Media has ignored a major point. What research has shown is that the vast majority of men arrested in these circumstances are overwhelmingly married, have children, are often religious, and in public, conservative on many social issues. In addition, most identify their sexual preference as “straight”. This also holds true in many gay chat rooms.
Amazingly, the percentages of “out” and “proud” gay men in these situations are minimal. The out gay community has long understood the health and legal risk of such behavior, and the majority, do not condone it. Likewise, if one is gay and out, he has many outlets for legal and more meaningful relationships.
So the question must be asked why? Why would any man be willing to put everything on the line, family, marriage, livelihood, dignity, reputation, just to partake in anonymous, meaningless, degrading sex?
What is it that drives that desire? Why can’t they feel free to live their lives honestly, and openly? First, many have said they believe homosexuality is a choice.
This has long been debated. When one sees situations such as Sen. Craig’s’ you have to conclude that sexuality is not a choice. We do not choose to become gay. We do choose whether we are going to live an honest, open, loving, life or a life of shame and deceit. We do choose whether we are going to be productive to society or destructive to ourselves.
Obviously, their shame is caused by the environment in which they were raised.
Those environments were most often misguided through the social pressures created by religious and conservative groups. (Of course, the vast amount of hypocrisy in these groups is a whole other subject.) The oppression and repression of the gay community by religion has been damaging to the gay community as well as the rest of society as a whole. It is responsible for countless suicides. (The leading cause of death to gay teens). Often the reasons given by someone arrested for gay bashing is their religious beliefs. (Talk about hypocrisy) Often, “family values” parents will disown or reject a child who admits to being gay. There are thousands of homeless gay youth in this country. Many whose parents kicked them out just for being gay.
Fortunately, many informed people are realizing these facts. Fortunately, more are realizing that the Christian thing to do is to be Loving, Accepting, Tolerant, and Non- Judgmental. As many come to realization that the overwhelming majority of gay citizens in this country are honest, hard working, productive, people. Often contributing much more to their communities and charities than their “religious” counterparts. As more people realize someone they love and respect is gay. As more people recognize the many contributions, gay people have made throughout history and to society. As the “stigma” of being gay is lessened through acceptance, you will see this “subculture” of “straight” men diminish.

Michael,

Maybe the RNC will leak word that they are going to ask the entire GOP Senate to resign...so they can find some candidates without the blemish of associating and cooperating with Bush/Cheney?

Bill,

You brought up a really good point. If Craig had been a "dawg" like Vitter, he probably would have gotten a standing O as well. But, oh, that taint of possible gayness and the Grand Old Bigots can't wait to be shut of him.

I do believe him when he says he's not gay. The preponderance of DL's, danger freaks and pedophiles have always been straight men. Study after study, combing through police blotters and perp admissions, they're along the 97th percentile as self-identified hetero men. Yet, it's so much easier to deflect the blame to an uninvolved group, especially one against whom so much unwarranted bigotry already exists. Rather than being real men and accepting responsibility for their actions, the typical Republican M.O. is to blame someone else, even when busted cold in the act.

In every facet of governance and daily life, we see this spoiled, frat-boy nonsense all the time and it has really gotten tiresome. After so many examples of ongoing poor behavior, it's a wonder that anyone in their right mind believes anything a GOP politician says. Hypocrites, thy party is red.

Sad yet another scandal! What a shame to run his name through the mud! What happened to "do unto others as you would have them undo to you"! Every dog has his day and what comes around goes around!

I do believe him when he says he's not gay.

The preponderance of DL's, danger freaks and pedophiles have always been straight men. Study after study, combing through police blotters and perp admissions, they're along the 97th percentile as self-identified hetero men.

Yet, it's so much easier to deflect the blame to an uninvolved group, especially one against whom so much unwarranted bigotry already exists.

Bill,

I've always wondered about this. There has been no discussion in the news media about it at all. That seem extrodinarily odd under the circumstance of the media freenzy.

I've never done any research on the sjubject myself. But if your research is correct, it would explain a lot about why pedifiles so resemble rapists who try to exert power over their victims using sex as a weapon...not for gratification but as some sort of ego boosting agent.

I'm not sure what to make of those who seek quick sex with strangers in unhealthy places like public restrooms or steamrooms. It's almost like it's the risk of getting caught or the lure of danger that is the motivation...not really sex.

It's time that the link between the lifestyles of gays dating and forming committed unions was severed from these strange and pathetic acts of random self-loathing.

I'm not sure what was going on in Craig's mind that he felt had to act that way. It's certainly is not the behavior of one who is comfortable with his life.

At least he did not seem to be violent. But then who knows what and where it would have all ended if he hadn't got caught.

And it's apparent he wanted to get caught. Many commentators have mention so many times in the past when he had jumped in and offered statements of personal denial when other's behaviors were brought into question.

If only he hadn't been so mean and nasty in his attacks of gays and lesbians, I might feel sorry for his current plight. He is the one who has been "running the names of others in the mud" for no apparent reason other than to acquire political power that capitalizes on the unwaranted prejudices of others.

If what goes around comes around, then the people who have been voting for this man must finally ask themselves why?

If what goes around comes around, then the people who have been voting for this man must finally ask themselves why?

Posted by SandyH on August 31, 2007 at 10:19 PM

Sandy,

Money and power, power and greed for more power. From where I sit, the rape of the Constitution for their own enrichment is the same as a physical rape; just multiplied by 300 million, give or take a few. But I do believe that Karma will be satisfied and all the evil, bigotry and abuse the GOP of committed will come back around to squat in their laps. I can't feel a bit sorry for them, for all the sadness they will receive is sadness of their own creation.

With the long line of recent scandals among GOP politicians, the damage has already been done. American voters may now realize that all politicians are human and all humans transgress. The GOP should have just let the political system run its course and let the voters decide what to do with Craig. From an objective viewpoint it would have just looked better and been refreshing to see no deliberate party manipulation. Just let his folks back home decide how to respond. The reason it was so critical to the GOP is because they have camaigned for a very long time on morality. If average americans are looking for a party that exemplifies morality in the personal lives of its politicians, it is NOT the republican party. It appears now that Craig has formally resigned. Many thought that the right wing response would be swift and decisive because of damage to GOP political strategy. See my link for futher discussion of "toiletgate" and its political implicatiions. American voters need to be leary of any candidate campaigning on morality from now on.

Listening all weekend to the GOPsters explaining why Craig had to go and not Vitter. The GOPsters carefully explained, ad nausium, that the problem was that Craig pled guilty.

It wasn't that he was a liar and a hypocrite.
It wasn't that he propositioned strangers in bathrooms.
It wasn't that he was guilty.
It wasn't that he was caught.
It was that he admitted it.

All the other stuff is OK.

Once again the GOP exposes the moral abyss that is the Republican party.

I have a different take on it. To Republicans, the fact that money is involved makes it morally OK.

Clinton had sex for free - bad.
Vitter paid for his sex - good.
Craig tried to have sex for free - bad.
Democrats help their constituents because they feel it is the right thing to do - bad.
Republicans help their constituents because they are bribed - good.

To a morally bankrupt Republican, it is the act of someone paying for it, that makes it OK.