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800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
This isn't the first time and it won't be the last.
Watch out for yourselves, people.
Given the rapid shift in public opinion to indifference or support for ...marriage equality, ENDA and repeal of DADT, coupled with the 30% of glbt voters for McCain, the GOP is looking for a new whipping boy.
Note KM's wondering in his coming out interview "why gay voters never formed common cause with Republican opponents of Islamic jihad, which he called 'the greatest anti-gay force in the world right now'." Couple that with the conservative noise machine going off the rails over the mosque in lower Manhattan and the questioning that Obama is "really a Muslim" -- looks like good news for gays, bad news for Muslims in America.
Anyone remember how much people were screaming that we didn't trust Ted Olsen and we didn't want his help? Remember that? Yeah, that guy sure turned out to be a deceitful son of a bitch, didn't he?
I think a kiss from Mehlman would be like a "Judas Kiss" - which is the title of a movie starring Brent Corrigan!
His only career option at this point is to become a professional conservative homosexual and get hired on by think tanks and policy groups.
If he wants to be *our* evil genius instead of *their* evil genius, fine. Earn your keep. Don't expect an invite to the hot tub, or even a kind word for a Long. Fucking. Time. Asshole.
Mehlman's coming out signifies the end of his career, and also the end of his influence with the Republican party. Note that the people who are shifting opinions are, largely, people who have lost most of their DIRECT political influence.
This guy can go fuck himself. He's an opportunistic asshole who wants to have one last turn in the limelight to get a couple golddigging muscle boyfriends before retiring with them into his Chelsea penthouse. He's not doing it for anything other than self-serving reasons. And, clearing his name is one of those self-serving reasons. Fuck him.
He just liked having sex with men.
A lot.
See?
The people who hate gays will do so now, and forever, and their minds will not be changed by having some closet case finally declare himself, no matter how highly placed he is/was.
The religious right is just going to be pissed that he was a faggot in Republican clothing, and see it as further evidence of Homo-treachery, and we're left right back where we were, and where we are going to be for a long time while our Fierce Advocate is in office: square motherfucking one.
And more to the point, Democrats are enabling them with their political homophobia and refusing to act on ENDA, DOMA, and DADT. I'm expecting a full Ministry-of-Truth-Republicans-have-always-been-the-ones-leading-the-way-on-individual-liberty-especially-gay-rights by the 2016 Presidential election.
Let this guy do what he wants, but don't give him any support, be it publicity, financial, or even your time.
From reading articles, my understanding is that Mehlman called Islamic jihad (i.e. Islamic extremism), "the greatest anti-gay force in the world right now." That's quite different than someone saying Muslims are the greatest threat. And, on a world-wide basis, Mehlman may be right.
Anyway, it makes perfect sense to me why "why gay voters never formed common cause with Republican opponents of Islamic jihad", because Islamic extremists don't affect their lives here in the U.S. Christian extremists do -- not because their ideology is more anti-gay but because their numbers are far greater -- and Republicans are in bed with them.
During his time as RNC chair and Bush's campaign manager, he fanned the flames of homophobia to get republicans elected.
Now he's fanning the flames of islamophobia in an attempt to woo gays to the republican party.
He isn't a better person. The only thing that's changed is that now he's directed his scapegoating manipulations to a different minority group. That isn't admirable or acceptable in any way.
He's a douchebag, and he deserves to be cock-punched 100 times for every gay kid that committed suicide while he was head of the RNC.
I want marriage rights a lot. A whole lot. But NOT at 'any price.' I would rather wait another ten years for the right to marry then debase myself by getting cozy with this unctuous, loathsome parasite.
Other people feel differently, of course. Let them reach out to the guy. Maybe someday you'll be able to get that stale smell of shit and languid remorse out of your clothes.
I hate all this lofty talk of "amends" and "reciprocity", the man is still trying to screw us.
That said...people's attitudes and beliefs do change. I don't accept that people who hate/dislike/fear/are just kind of uncomfortable with gay people are always going to be that way. I've seen my own (older) family members come around in a major way on the subject when my cousin came out. It happens all the time.
More to the point...it isn't liberals, progressives, and civil libertarians that those of us who care about marriage equality need to win over...it's (surprise!) conservatives.
And even if this is part of some surreptitious shift on the part of the GOP away from homophobic policy (and I don't think that it is) isn't that a good thing? Doesn't that signify that they are realizing they are on the wrong side of history?
It isn't happening fast enough, but I really think the good guys are winning, here. KM isn't going to change that one way or another, but he may be a sign of things to come.
Might turn out to have been a good cause. Might turn out to have been a disaster. Either way, all Ken is contributing is his rolodex. Whoop-dee-frickin-doo...
Let's say that in High School you were the kid that the HS Quarter back routinely picked on. He waited for you after school on any given day to beat you up. Make fun of you. Get others to taunt and ridicule you. Many, many days you went home sick to your stomach from fear and sadness. You felt isolated and hated. Some days you just wanted to kill yourself. The degradation, humiliation and name calling never seemed to end and it made your life a fucking living hell.
Then, 10 years later, you get a knock at your door. It's that same HS Quarterback that made your life a fucking nightmare. And, he wants to apologize for all he put you through, because hey, he too is gay and was just compensating for what he didn't want others to think of him. Now, he wants to be your "buddy."
Do you welcome him with open arms and hug and kiss his apologetic ass now??
Fuck no. You tell him to drop the fuck dead and close the door on his fucking face.
Well, that's what I'd do, if it were me.
Helps me feel superior, free... and shows I'm ready to move on to full humanity.
I totally agree with John, from AmericaBlog. I don't care if Mehlman was ripping off baby bunnies' heads in 2004; if he is now sincerely interested in helping the cause he so despicably fought against for so long, then I think it's a good thing.
And indeed, think of how the right-wing nutjobs feel now that one of their champions turns out to belong to the other team. If the gay community now simply rejects him because of his 'bloodied hands'... well, won't that make the homophobic crowd feel better? 'Phew, we dodged a bullet there!' they'll think. 'We don't have to worry about Mehlman's connections and influence! We can go back to doing our a-storm-is-gathering commercials!'
And plus... redemption is possible. As someone else pointed out, redemption is more interesting and enlightening when it happens in those cases that deserve it the least. It's also part of being human.
"I am a scorpion; it is what I do."
I'd grudgingly welcome the bully if he was really sincerely regretful for his actions.
But if he said: "I'm gay too. Forgive me. Now lets go beat the shit out of some ragheads instead.", I'd kick him in the balls and slam the door.
Not for those that deliberately and purposely work towards some others demise, with the focused intent of harm (not just once, but on multiple occasions and for many years), then later to ask for a pardon.
Well, I guess that's just how I see it, but I could be wrong.
but that is just me...
I don't know if I'd tell him to drop dead - I might even accept his apology - but I certainly wouldn't pretend my own suffering was unimportant, or less than it actually was, just to make him feel better about what a horrible person he'd been.
OK, so in this situation, someone who was an asshole as a teenager maybe gets a few sympathy points because of peer pressure, insecurity, etc. An adult who works to get the same kind of treatment codified into law does not get any sympathy. He's an ADULT. It's called taking responsibility for your actions.
He didn't say that, Dan. What he said is that he was struggling with his sexuality in '04. Why can't you believe him? Because he's a Republican? That's judgemental bullshit.
Criticizing someone after the fact for doing something anti-gay (regardless of the influence) in the past, when they were still trying to figure themselves out is like criticizing someone on chemo for puking at the next table over in the restaurant. Wildly insensitive.
I'll agree that Mehlman probably knew he was homosexual (notice I didn't say "gay") in '04, and he was in an immensely difficult position. And he chose not to torpedo his career. How many of you would make the same choice? And why is it so goddamn hard for so many of you to put yourself in another guy's Pradas now and then? Show a little compassion for your gay brother, assholes!
Isn't that similar to the rationale Mehlman and Rove (one gay, the other with a gay stepfather) used when they decided to trash us, over and over? Neither of them believed any of the overwrought concerns of the religious right - but they used those people to achieve a goal. Their whole attitude was "I don't care who gets hurt, as long as we can win the election." Well, they won it. Nobody on either side thinks of them as particularly honorable people anymore - just effective and Machiavellian.
The ends do not justify the means. We absolutely should care about Mehlman's past misdeeds, because this fight should be about justice first, winning second. One is not good simply because other people are bad.
This guy isn't to be trusted. Maybe if he works diligently on gay marriage equality for 10 years. But, for now, I am suspicious of him.
Now, try addressing my comment in a mature manner, instead of your childish way, and maybe we can have an adult conversation. Mmm-kay????
http://www.vnnforum.com/showthread.php?p…
http://www.covenantnews.com/blog/archive…
If Mehlman was (as I suspect) in DEEEEP denial as far as making life more difficult for GLBT folks with anti-gay stuff in '04 (and I agree, he did), wouldn't this be at least a bit of an "extenuating circumstance" when it comes to whether or not to embrace him?
The gay community should stay as far away from this pariah as possible. We will gain nothing from his "help".