Update on Masturgate & Our Obsession With Sex

Hester Prynne: A more appropriate U.S. symbol than the bald eagle?

There is no moral high ground in Washington any more, so it comes as no surprise that the Democrats are behaving nearly as badly over Masturgate than the Republicans, whose obfuscations and lame defenses over who knew what and when about the carryings-on of Representative Mark Foley are not playing well in the hustings less than five weeks before a mid-term election that will determine whether their 12-year grip on power continues.

The Democrats were foaming at the collective mouth not long ago over wiretaps and other government intrusions into individual rights, but have no problem with delving into Foley's (albeit tawdry) emails and text messages.

They too are not immune from congressional page groping, and a certain veteran senator from New England has long had a reputation for not keeping his hands where they belong. When former Democratic Representative Gary Stubbs was caught in the crossfire of the 1983 page scandal, they lined up behind him (pardon the term) despite his seamy conduct, which in retrospect seems worse than anything Foley has been accussed of doing.

Meanwhile, Bruce at Gay Patriot says that the naughty Dems are passing around a list of top-level Republican congressional aides who are gay. The source is not known.

David Corn, who claims to have what he calls "The List," says at DavidCorn.com that CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger reports that there’s anger among House Republicans at what an unidentified House GOPer called:

"A 'network of gay staffers and gay members who protect each other and did the Speaker a disservice.' The implication is that these gay Republicans somehow helped page-pursuing Mark Foley before his ugly (and possibly illegal) conduct was exposed. The List -- drawn up by gay politicos -- is a partial accounting of who on Capitol Hill might be in that network.

"I have a copy. I’m not going to publish it. For one, I don’t know for a fact that the men on the list are gay. And generally I don’t fancy outing people -- though I have not objected when others have outed gay Republicans, who, after all, work for a party that tries to limit the rights of gays and lesbians and that welcomes the support of those who demonize same-sexers.

"What’s interesting about The List -- which includes nine chiefs of staffs, two press secretaries, and two directors of communications -- is that (if it’s accurate) it shows that some of the religious right’s favorite representatives and senators have gay staffers helping them advance their political careers and agendas. These include Representative Katherine Harris and Henry Hyde and Senators Bill Frist, George Allen, Mitch McConnell and Rick Santorum. Should we salute these legislators for being open-minded enough to have such tolerant hiring practices?"

Bruce says that the the Foley scandal is not about homosexuality:

"Some family value conservatives are suggesting it is.

"But anytime a gay Republican is outed by events, a dicey issue is raised: what about those GOPers who are gay and who serve a party that is anti-gay? Are they hypocrites, opportunists, or just confused individuals? Is it possible to support a party because you adhere to most of its tenets–even if that party refuses to recognize you as a full citizen? The men on The List might want to think hard about these questions–as they probably already have–for if I have a copy of The List, there’s a good chance it will be appearing soon on a website near everyone."

Well, sorry to rustle Bruce's bustle, but this scandal is about homosexuality. It's also about:

* Pederasty.

* Pedophilia.

* Child abuse.

* Alcoholism.

* Institutional accountability.

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I hasten to add that being gay doesn't make one a pederast or pedophile, but to ignore those possible aspects of the Foley scandal so as to not upset gays doesn't wash. with this blogger nor should it was anywhere else.

David Corn, whom I suspect spends a lot of time admiring himself in the mirror, also misses the larger picture.

The only thing I regret about Masturgate is that the timing sucks. It's a big distraction. The focus needs to be on an Iraq troop withdrawal plan, making the homeland safer against terrorism, Iran and North Korea, giving the middle class and poor some economic relief, national health insurance, and so on and so forth.

But when a wingnut like Senator Santorum, a right-wing GOP standard bearer, compares homosexuality to bestiality, incest and polygamy, then the sexual orientation of a fellow Republican like Foley, who conveniently came out of the closet only when he went into alcohol rehab, is a pertinent issue.

This is not because homosexuality is wrong. Of course it's not, and I defend the right of anyone to be straight, gay or whatever they may be destined to be. But it is an issue in this case because of the crass hypocrisy of Santorum and most Republicans who suck up to the conservative Christianists over gender issues that are none of the business of Congress or government, not to mention the fact that Foley was the longtime leader of the House caucus on children and troubled youth.

By the way, more and more Americans agree, and the increasing acceptance of gays in society over the last several years has reaffirmed for me the fundamental tolerance and goodness that underlies our society but too often remains hidden.

American society always has been hopelessly confused about sex and sexuality. Take the Clinton impeachment circus. Please!

The U.S. is far more uptight than it's European cousins are, but at the same time worships sex. TV, the movies and other media are full of it. Ten-year-olds go to school heavily made up and in tight skirts and uplift bras. Pornographic Internet web sites are by far the most visited.

Herewith a modest proposal:

Let's replace the bald eagle, a magnificently monogamous creature, as the U.S. national symbol with that slutty Hester Prynne.

FOLEY SMOLEY

For something completely different, check out Lady Bunny’s thoughts on the scandal over at ladybunny.com

He, . . . er, she is not a happy camper.