Oh, how I love a Republican scandal--especially when it involves a single man in his 50s who wears smart shirts and says he refuses to discuss his private life (which even the dimmest bulb now knows means "I'M GAY!").
Rep. Mark Foley of Florida: What were you thinking!? I will never understand how a man in his position--i.e., a congressman, someone who is under public scrutiny--thinks he can do anything in this day and age like, oh, sending sexually suggestive e-mails to congressional pages, and get away with it without anyone noticing.
There are several sorry aspects to this story. I mean, who wants to be leered at by a congressman who's not very attractive when you are 16? I think even I would have been uncomfortable, and this is coming from someone who at 17 shamelessly had a crush on an older man and acted on it. The others involve the fellow Republican congressmen who suggested the whole matter not be pursued. Then there's the larger issue. To put it bluntly: how fucked up Foley is. Will there be a discussion in the media about politics, hypocrisy, homophobia, and how American society still doesn't allow many gay men to simply feel comfortable with themselves? Well, probably not. And don't even get me started about how rich white guys in positions of power feel like they can get away with anything they want.
Ironically enough, our other gay media circus star of the week is former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, who showed up on Oprah (but not without a book to hawk, natch), and on the cover of The Advocate. I haven't read or seen any of this yet, but I have to say, with men like him and Foley on opposite ends of the gay political rainbow, I've never been more sure of the fact that I never want to run for any public office.
How's that for Anti-Climactic Epiphany of the Week?
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