And yes, some of us are about more than "God and country," alone. There is, after all, an entire world to get to know; if for no other reason than "We the People" have to come to grips with it.
Some of us nevertheless look out at the world, see difference, and want to pound every repository of difference until it concedes to our fundamental, even if unspoken, demand--i.e., be like Us or be erased. Some of us look out at the world, see difference, and recognize there just might be some value, however, in seeing how the world looks from the perspective of others.
After all, seeing does not mean we have to agree with whatever insights might be gained; but it at least gives us some basis for drawing inferences, asking follow-up questions, arriving at meaningful conclusions, and yes, determining the best course to follow in any given situation. For if there is one thing "We the People" believe, it is that each of us is accountable for his or her actions. Right?
Then again, perhaps I'm wrong.... 'Cause when you think about it, the list of womanizers (and pederasts too, apparently) who have haunted the White House and the halls of Congress is likely a long one.
In fact, until Bill 'Bubba' Clinton crossed that threshold, the call for accountability simply did not grow urgent enough, apparently, to warrant a multi-million dollar investigation, congressional hearings, and impeachment proceedings. And all of it spearheaded by one Tom DeLay, then Speaker of the House.
On this basis, "We the People" might have reasonably expected the White House and the halls of Congress would be, thereafter, 'jiggy'-free. Since Geo. W. Bush rode into office, however--promising to cleanse the White House of everything 'Bubba'-like, I might add--the nation has borne witness to more 'worldliness' than the media (mass or otherwise) can expose, and the G(ay?) O(ld) P(arty) can 'whitewash' (if not cover-up).
Setting aside the scandalous exploits of which the Abramoff-Reed-Norquist cabal remains the best exemplar, the questionable White House leaks, and other abuses of power under solid Republican rule, the sex scandals emerging from this "family values" administration have a distinctly homo-erotic, if not homosexual, flavor.
Let's recall the story of James Dale Guckert aka "Jeff Gannon," a White House 'reporter' for Bobby Eberle's Talon News--"the primary news provider for GOPUSA," according to minutes of the Senate's Standing Committee of Correspondents. After the Senate refused to issue "Gannon" press credentials (typically a prerequisite to gaining a White House press pass), Guckert was nevertheless given 'back-door' access to White House press briefings between 2003 and 2005.
And, in case you missed it, Ken Mehlman--current Chair of the Republican National Committee--was a card-carrying member of the Log Cabin Republicans long before Bill Maher 'outted' him (supposedly) on Larry King Live several weeks ago.
Rumor has it, in fact, that the RNC Chair beat a path into Massachusetts to acquire a (gay) marriage license during the 2004 election heat--while he was proving his bona fides to the RNC, that is, by pushing ballot initiatives to foreclose that 'window of opportunity' for lesbians and gays elsewhere.
Recall that Ken Mehlman was the campaign manager for Bush/Cheney 2004--a gay man, leading a campaign predicated largely on a fear and dread of 'the gay agenda,' in general, and of gay marriage, in particular.
Apparently the Log Cabin Republicans have their work cut out for them given their tag line--"inclusion wins." Their message is either not getting through to the GOP, or the 'slap on the back' and 'pat on the head' that comes from 'a job well done' (however 'job' might be defined at any given point in time) is enough to satisfy them. Who knows?
Of course the irony does not stop there: the Human Rights Campaign, for example, is sponsoring the 2006 convention of the Log Cabin Republicans. Under the circumstances, it is not at all clear how a convention of 'Log Cabiners' fulfills the HRC's stated mission--i.e., "working for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equal rights."
Q: Would someone enlighten me, please?
(More likely than not, the membership lists of the HRC and Log Cabin Republicans overlap quite a bit; so the rest of us had better beware.)
In sum, then, while the Log Cabin Republicans work to "chart the future direction of the Republican Party" with one hand, they're "working for...equal rights," ostensibly, with the other. Now that's a conundrum!
Or is it?
Let's review the 2006 election heat, shall we?The G(ay) O(le) P(arty) spearheaded campaigns to ban gay marriage in eight states during the midterm elections:
- Amendment 43 (Colorado), 56-48;
- HJR 2 (Idaho) 63-37;
- Amendment 1 (S. Carolina) 78-22;
- Amendment C (S. Dakota) 52-48;
- Amendment 1 (Tennessee) 83-17;
- Question 1 (Virginia) 57-43;
- Amendment (Wisconsin) 59-41; and
- Amendment (Alabama) 81-19.
Although these initiatives all run counter to "working for...equal rights," gay Republicans issued a press release immediately after the election stating, "Log Cabin is more committed that ever to helping bring our Party back to power in Congress" ("Log Cabin Republicans Blast Social Conservatives for Causing Defeat in House," November 7, 2006; emphases added).
"What a world! What a world!"
For years, Mark Foley was one of the 'golden boys' of the GOP (and the Log Cabin, no doubt), until his IMs to Senate pages leaked out for all to see. The same can be said for Pastor Ted Haggard, whose story likewise overflowed the banks of the GOP's 'damage control' machine.
Never short on irony, however, the G(ay?) O(ld) P(arty) is long on dollars--always leveraged through tax breaks, already cloistered behind tax shelters; and with that elephantine memory, it will keep pulling, apparently, to overrun us all.
