Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Interesting. Unfortunately, not that surprising
A gay white supremacist....
And people wonder why this blog is needed for the government.
From San Francisco Indy Media.
And people wonder why this blog is needed for the government.
From San Francisco Indy Media.
Monday, December 26, 2005
To hell in a handbasket...
...wonder why it's so hard for people to get the "real story?" Perhaps it's their own fault! Here's what people want from the web, via Google's end of year Zeitgeist:
Google News - Top Searches in 2005Janet Jackson? Angelina Jolie? Michael Jackson? Brad Pitt? Ugh.
1. Janet Jackson
2. Hurricane Katrina
3. tsunami
4. xbox 360
5. Brad Pitt
6. Michael Jackson
7. American Idol
8. Britney Spears
9. Angelina Jolie
10. Harry Potter
Google.com - Top Gainers of 2005
1. Myspace
2. Ares
3. Baidu
4. wikipedia
5. orkut
6. iTunes
7. Sky News
8. World of Warcraft
9. Green Day
10. Leonardo da Vinci
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Bits and Pieces...
Just to check in.... I'm using the time between the two holidays to catch up and to post small items from time to time. Thank you to all of you who supported the appeal. Look this coming week for some bits and pieces from over the past year.
Happy Holidays to all (from another warrior in the War on Christmas)
Happy Holidays to all (from another warrior in the War on Christmas)
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Mission Accomplished
Well, partly anyway...
I want to thank those of you who responded to my call for new tips in the blog's campaign to expose those working on the Senate side of the US Congress to pass the so called "Marriage Protection Amendment." Not only did I receive a nice number of tips, but I have also been put in contact with a number of new sources of information. Let's just say, 2006 is going to be a busy year on the site.
I know some have been unhappy with the pace of the reporting...I'll be using the slow news time over the holidays to catch up on some promised writing about some recent work that took priority over other stories. While it never made it to the blog, the back story will interest you.
In terms of searching for new information, the request is definite "Mission Accomplished" -- and not in a George Bush sort of way. Thank you.
On another note, the recent year end appeal for the site only raised about 50% of the goal. Since starting PageOneQ and with other gifts, I've been able to dedicate all of your support to blogACTIVE to the research of hypocrites. In one case, I even had to buy two last minute tickets to fly to sources -- meetings I could not mention at the time -- (you'll have to trust me, six months time will prove one of those trips was worth every penny).
As readers know, this important work is not exactly something the political establishment supports, well, on the record, at least...so the site counts on visitors like you to help raise funds to keep it all going.
I do hope you'll reread the end of year fundraising post and then donate to the blog via the secure site, PayPal. (If you prefer to mail in support, the address is at the top of the blog). (All gifts at the $100 or higher level will receive a free week of advertising for their favorite gay/lesbian/AIDS organization on PageOneQ.com)
You can donate by clicking here, or on the graphic below.
Thank you so much,
Mike Rogers
Caption this...
Merry Christmas from the Grand Inquistor, Torquemada....er, Pope
Any ideas?
Monday, December 19, 2005
TAKE ACTION: What a shock.
Yeah, right.
Another closet case helping the radical right do its dirty work. Remember the closet case who is one of Bill Frist's top fundraisers? Well, he's been using Frist's charity, World of Hope (no website, despite a $4 million+ budget), to make quite a nice pile of money.
The story was first reported by Daily Kos diarist Blue Intrigue Friday and by the Associated Press yesterday. Both stories, however, lacked the fact that it's a closeted gay man at the center of the money swirl that is being made off of AIDS.
The AP article reports:
TAKE ACTION: Write to Linus Catignani and let him know what you think of a gay man working for one of the United State's Senate's most anti-gay members. Click here to write Linus and a copy will be sent to blogACTIVE.com as well as to Lunus' partner and Senator Frist's press secretary.
PS: If it's not bad enough, the AP article also reports that a number of contributors to the fund have frequent business before Congress:
Another closet case helping the radical right do its dirty work. Remember the closet case who is one of Bill Frist's top fundraisers? Well, he's been using Frist's charity, World of Hope (no website, despite a $4 million+ budget), to make quite a nice pile of money.
The story was first reported by Daily Kos diarist Blue Intrigue Friday and by the Associated Press yesterday. Both stories, however, lacked the fact that it's a closeted gay man at the center of the money swirl that is being made off of AIDS.
The AP article reports:
The rest of the money went to overhead. That included $456,125 in consulting fees to two firms run by Frist's longtime political fundraiser, Linus Catignani. One is jointly run by Linda Bond, the wife of Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, R-Mo.In the sane article Kent Cooper, the Federal Election Commission's former public disclosure chief, said:
...
The tax forms show Catignani's fundraising firm, Catignani & Bond, was paid a total of $276,125 and his event-planning arm, Consulting Services Group, was paid $180,000.
the consulting fees were "excessively high" and the fact that they were "paid to primarily political consultants also raises questions about the long-range strategic benefits for the 2008 presidential raceDoesn't gay man Linus Catignani care at all where his profits come from? Doesn't he care that millions were sent to organizations that have anti-gay reputations and ties to the most homophobic wing of the GOP?:
World of Hope gave $3 million it raised to AIDS causes, such as Africare and evangelical Christian groups with ties to Republicans -- Franklin Graham's Samaritan Purse and the Rev. Luis Cortes' Esperanza USA, for example.How a gay man can make that kind of money off of a gay bashing United States Senator is something I will never understand. Frist's rating from HRC is a zero. I am sure it will be no surprise that he's a co-sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, now renamed the Marriage Protection Amendment.
"These tax deductible gifts were earmarked through Senator Frist,They were raised in the political arena at the 2004 Republican Convention and the natural question is were they given to the Senate majority leader to gain favor or were they given for true charitable purposes?"
Here's the original award from
blogACTIVE to Linus. (August '04).
blogACTIVE to Linus. (August '04).
TAKE ACTION: Write to Linus Catignani and let him know what you think of a gay man working for one of the United State's Senate's most anti-gay members. Click here to write Linus and a copy will be sent to blogACTIVE.com as well as to Lunus' partner and Senator Frist's press secretary.
PS: If it's not bad enough, the AP article also reports that a number of contributors to the fund have frequent business before Congress:
The donors included several corporations with frequent business before Congress, such as insurer Blue Cross/Blue Shield, manufacturer 3M, drug maker Eli Lilly and the Goldman Sachs investment firm.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Hey, Gannon, you're the judge?
Here's an interesting one on Jeff Gannon. Sure sounds like a bit of gay-bashng (or straight-bashing) to me.
Of course, this coming from a closeted man who trashed National Coming Out Day is pretty ridiculous.
Of course, this coming from a closeted man who trashed National Coming Out Day is pretty ridiculous.
Well, if there was any question...
...as to whether or not the blog's message is getting through to the wacky wing of the right wing, here's the answer.
Agape Press, a big news site among the religious cultists and wingnuts ran this piece today:
Here's president of the Family Policy Network in Virginia. It's not the first time the organization has used blogACTIVE's work in reporting to the right wing audience. Thanks guys!
Agape Press, a big news site among the religious cultists and wingnuts ran this piece today:
"The homosexual activists in Washington, DC, have outed several members of George Allen's staff as being homosexuals," Glover asserts. "In fact, they call George Allen's office the gayest place on Capitol Hill. Now we didn't say that; the homosexual activists in Washington, DC, did.If you don't remember who said it first, click here.
Often called the “gayest place on Capitol Hill, [Senator Allen's] office would be the perfect place to recruit prospective staff for the Senator’s new venture.I'm glad they're paying attention...plenty of news is coming their way.
Here's president of the Family Policy Network in Virginia. It's not the first time the organization has used blogACTIVE's work in reporting to the right wing audience. Thanks guys!
The Thrill Of Victory...
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Earlier today, I mailed an issue of blogACTIVE confidential. In that newsletter, I ran this end of year appeal for your help to continue this blog's important work... I hope you'll read this entry and then consider vising PayPal to support blogACTIVE. (If you are still not on the low-volume, no spam email list, please click here to join.)
blogACTIVE has had quite a successful year. The site has reported on THIRTY hypocrites in the government, including United States Senators and Representatives, Political appointees of the Administration, and others in positions of power. I hope you will consider clicking here to continue the work of the site. As regular readers of the site know, the political establishment has offered no support to this work, despite it's proven effectiveness in moving politicians to support the community. (see this entry for the evidence)
blogACTIVE has had quite a successful year. The site has reported on THIRTY hypocrites in the government, including United States Senators and Representatives, Political appointees of the Administration, and others in positions of power. I hope you will consider clicking here to continue the work of the site. As regular readers of the site know, the political establishment has offered no support to this work, despite it's proven effectiveness in moving politicians to support the community. (see this entry for the evidence) The work of blogACTIVE is only possible with your support. There are currently over two dozen active cases and hundreds more tips to sift through. With your support of blogACTIVE, you will be helping to expose hypocrites in the US Government who bash gays and then act as complete hypocrites. Please click here to make a secure, on-line donation via PayPal.
For a complete list of reports from the blog, click here. Your tips, leads, ideas and help made this list possible. I hope you will help blogACTIVE continue this important work...more is on tap for 2006 and the exciting upcoming political news season.
Last Day to Support Pam
Back on December 6th, I wrote on this blog that I hoped readers would vote in the 2005 Weblog Awards - Best LGBT category. Today is the FINAL voting day.
Pam Spaulding is the only woman in a field of 15 blogs. I am encouraging blogACTIVE visitors to consider voting for her site, Pam's House Blend. "The Blend," is deserving of the top slot and in a blogosphere dominated overwhelmingly by white men it's nice to see a blog written by a lesbian woman of color holding on in the award race.
If you haven't voted yet, today is your final chance to participate.
You can expect a final push for each of those in the running. Please consider supporting Pam today.
Pam Spaulding is the only woman in a field of 15 blogs. I am encouraging blogACTIVE visitors to consider voting for her site, Pam's House Blend. "The Blend," is deserving of the top slot and in a blogosphere dominated overwhelmingly by white men it's nice to see a blog written by a lesbian woman of color holding on in the award race.
If you've already voted (for Pam or anyone else), please stop by one last time to cast your vote.
If you haven't voted yet, today is your final chance to participate.
You can expect a final push for each of those in the running. Please consider supporting Pam today.
Mailing list program up.
JUST A REMINDER...The blogACTIVE Confidential mailing system is now fully operational. Join up: Enter your email, hit JOIN, and reply to the confirmation e-mail...that's all you have to do.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
And you know what? We mean it!
As the Ford story continues to spread -- It's on the AP now -- I decided to take a look at the website operated by Ford Media.
Not only did Ford send a letter to the national organizations it was working with, but they put the matter up on the front page of the site.
Not only did Ford send a letter to the national organizations it was working with, but they put the matter up on the front page of the site.
It's nice to see the company stands by its words. Looking at the AFA list of boycott targets -- they've yelled and screamed about Disney, Proctor & Gamble, Kraft, American Airlines, and now, Ford we see the score is Gays:5 and Idealogues: 0.
Drama? ... Drags? ... Power Stroke?
Homo on the Range
Sometimes, it's fun to make fun of ourselves. This list is one of those times. From David Letterman last night:
Top Ten Signs You're A Gay Cowboy
10. "Your saddle is Versace"
9. "Instead of 'Home On The Range', you sing 'It's Raining Men'"
8. "You enjoy ridin', ropin', and redecoratin'"
7. "Sold your livestock to buy tickets to 'Mamma Mia'"
6. "After watching reruns of 'Gunsmoke', you have to take a cold shower"
5. "Native Americans refer to you as 'Dances With Men'"
4. "You've been lassoed more times than most steers"
3. "You're wearing chaps, yet your 'ranch' is in Chelsea"
2. "Instead of a saloon you prefer a salon"
1. "You love riding, but you don't have a horse"
So...the program can be reversed by one movie?
The fact that a USA Today article on Brokeback Mountain actually quotes "ex-gay" radio host Stephen Bennett shows just how much the media is bending over backward (and forward) to accommodate the nutsos in America's extreme right wing.
From USA Today:
SOURCE: USA TODAY
I encountered Stephen Bennett at a Concerned Women for America conference. I made sure I observed him for several minutes before I began distributing flyers (which led to my ejection from the radical right confab). Now, I don't know if he has sex with men any more or not...but I can tell you he sure looks at the guys. Not one male intern walked by Bennett's exhibit table without being checked out by Mr. Ex-Gay.
From USA Today:
Already a few wagons are circling against the movie. Straight Talk Radio, a daily national radio program hosted by a man who describes himself as a former homosexual and his wife, denounced the movie as "homosexual propaganda."Let me get this right. A man is gay, he finds god, a woman, has kids and then the entire deal is undone by one movie? No wonder it's so hard to get the whole "ex-gay" thing to stick."I just spoke with a married man on the telephone who is contemplating leaving his wife and children," says host Stephen Bennett. "He says he's gay, and Brokeback Mountain has influenced his decision. We can sadly expect to see a lot more men like former governor Jim McGreevey of New Jersey not only resigning from their jobs but from their wives, children and families."
SOURCE: USA TODAY
Monday, December 12, 2005
Usher bashes gays... I wonder why....hmmmm.....
I was updating PageOneQ, my news service [yeah, the regular plug] when I came across this headline in my RSS Reader: USHER BASHES GAYS IN COMPLEX MAGAZINE.
I always wondered if Usher was himself gay. While we all know the deal about stereotypes and such, the bottom line is if Usher came out as gay, it wouldn't have shocked me. I mean look at these pictures, he looks like he's ready for a run in Genre or Instinct:
To read this, though, did surprise me. It comes from groovevolt.com
So talented, so stupid. Could this just be his way of hiding something?
I always wondered if Usher was himself gay. While we all know the deal about stereotypes and such, the bottom line is if Usher came out as gay, it wouldn't have shocked me. I mean look at these pictures, he looks like he's ready for a run in Genre or Instinct:
To read this, though, did surprise me. It comes from groovevolt.com
Recently, Kanye West came out and spoke up for homosexuals saying that the hip-hop community needed to wake up and show some respect. Usher may have missed that memo. In the latest issue of Complex magazine the singer was asked if there were ever any homosexual activity at his famous orgy parties and the superstar responded, "There was women on women but never man on man. Shit, nowhere near that! No one I ever roll with or ever would have roll with would get down like that."Later on in the article, Usher talks about his future Oscar, apparently forgetting that the people who give the Oscars are about to nominate one hell of a queer movie for a ton of the coveted awards.
So this must mean that none of Usher's hairstylists, wardrobe stylists, trainers, producers, executives, friends, family members or anyone else (that comes within 10 feet of him for that matter) are gay.
So talented, so stupid. Could this just be his way of hiding something?
Friday, December 09, 2005
Early and often
This is the one election you're allowed to vote often in* (Does not apply in Florida or Ohio)
Did you vote for Pam's House Blend today?
Help keep Pam in FIRST PLACE!
Did you vote for Pam's House Blend today?
Help keep Pam in FIRST PLACE!
Wayne has the suggested entrants...
...what I want to know is where is the LIE DETECTOR competition, where the most macho of the Mr. Hetero guys must take a lie detector test to prove they 1) are in fact a successful "ex-gay" who never looks at men in a lustful way or 2) never looked at another naked dude in the high school locker room... And now, good luck contestants [cue music]... Here's your host, Mr. Hetero of 1954, the Altoids dude.
Mr. Altoids -
Mr. Hetero of 1954
Mr. Altoids -
Mr. Hetero of 1954
Check out Wayne Besen's site for the latest in his suggested contestants for Mr. Hetero. Meanwhile,Jeremy at Good As You, has some more on the big contest.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Such a shock
The 5 wimpy GOP Freeholders in Ocean County, NJ
who slipped out the back door instead of facing the media
You know the Ocean County Freeholders in New Jersey who refuse to help a dying police officer and her partner by extending pension rights equally? (Here's the latest from UKGayNews.) Well, it seems last night they pulled a really swift move. Rather than face the waiting media, the Freeholders slipped out a rear door. Wimps.
Curious, I called the Ocean County Freeholders Clerk's office to see the party registration of the five Freeholders. I was, of course, completely shocked! About as shocked as I was to see the Pope beginning his inquisition in a dress. GOP, five for five.
So predictable.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
TAKE ACTION: Excuse me, Senator
Those brilliant minds at the United States Senate have come up with a way they think they can use the Federal Marriage Amendment, now renamed the Marriage Protection Amendment, to get their base out to fill the voting booths.
The thing about these guys -- ok, Kay Bailey Hutchinson is not a 'guy' -- is that they never are even remotely moderate. If a politician were to say, "I oppose same-sex marriage equality, but I support equal rights with civil unions, domestic partner benefits, hospital visitation, adoption and inheritance rights," I would disagree, but maybe be able to have a civil discussion on where we don't share philosophies. That, however, is never the case with the right wingers in charge these days.
The Human Rights Campaign produces U.S. Congress and Scorecards which I took a look at from time to time. I checked out each of the sponsors and co-sponsors of the Amendment and have sorted them in order of their HRC rating.
Group 1: Consistent! On a 1 to 100 scale, these Senators come in at a pure zero:
Slightly above zero, coming it at 13 on a scale of 1 to a hundred are these three. George Allen's staff has been profiled on this blog. You have to wonder what attracts all those gay men to work for a Senator who scores so low. Is there some story there we have not heard yet?
TAKE ACTION: So, I need new tips and information. If these men are secretly sleeping around with men OR women, send tips to tips@blogactive.com. Send this post to any of your friends who work in the Senate. These politicians cannot continue to use the lives of gays and lesbians to maintain political power.
If senior staffers are facilitating the work of these Senators, send along the information, too. The time has come to expand this campaign to the US Senate. We will be polling Senators on their stand on the Amendment and will report those who engage in hypocrisy, legislating to protect the very marriages they disrespect.
There have been some rumors about more than one man on that list above... so, let's spread the word and get the information flowing.
The tips mail address is COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL. Please send as much information as you can and we will use it to start investigations to expose these hypocrites.
(and one other thing... I think it's really funny that a guy named Crapo gets listed with a guy named Santorum [not work safe].
The thing about these guys -- ok, Kay Bailey Hutchinson is not a 'guy' -- is that they never are even remotely moderate. If a politician were to say, "I oppose same-sex marriage equality, but I support equal rights with civil unions, domestic partner benefits, hospital visitation, adoption and inheritance rights," I would disagree, but maybe be able to have a civil discussion on where we don't share philosophies. That, however, is never the case with the right wingers in charge these days.
The Human Rights Campaign produces U.S. Congress and Scorecards which I took a look at from time to time. I checked out each of the sponsors and co-sponsors of the Amendment and have sorted them in order of their HRC rating.
Group 1: Consistent! On a 1 to 100 scale, these Senators come in at a pure zero:
Thad Cochran (MS)Group 2: Isn't 13 unlucky?
John Cornyn (TX)
Mike Crapo (ID)
Elizabeth Dole (NC)
Michael Enzi (WY)
William Frist (TN)
Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
James Inhofe (OK)
Jon Kyl (AZ)
Trent Lott (MS)
Mitch McConnell (KY)
Pat Roberts (KS)
Rick Santorum (PA)
Jeff Sessions (AL)
Richard Shelby (AL)
Jim Talent (MO)
Slightly above zero, coming it at 13 on a scale of 1 to a hundred are these three. George Allen's staff has been profiled on this blog. You have to wonder what attracts all those gay men to work for a Senator who scores so low. Is there some story there we have not heard yet?
George Allen (VA)group 3: Welcome to the Bighouse, based on your House record in terms past, your seats are to the far right...the far...far...right. The next group of sponsors/co-sponsors has not been in the Senate long enough to have been rated. As US House members they scored ZERO.
Lamar Alexander (TN)
Ted Stevens (AK
David Vitter (LA)The last three have no HRC rating, but don't look for them swinging one back with their gay supporters at JR's, a local gay spot in DC.
Jim DeMint (SC)
Johnny Isakson (GA)
Richard Burr (NC)
John Thune (SD)Then again, I wouldn't be that surprised to see one of them out with Jeff Gannon.
Mel Martinez (FL)
Tom Coburn (OK)
TAKE ACTION: So, I need new tips and information. If these men are secretly sleeping around with men OR women, send tips to tips@blogactive.com. Send this post to any of your friends who work in the Senate. These politicians cannot continue to use the lives of gays and lesbians to maintain political power.
If senior staffers are facilitating the work of these Senators, send along the information, too. The time has come to expand this campaign to the US Senate. We will be polling Senators on their stand on the Amendment and will report those who engage in hypocrisy, legislating to protect the very marriages they disrespect.
There have been some rumors about more than one man on that list above... so, let's spread the word and get the information flowing.
The tips mail address is COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL. Please send as much information as you can and we will use it to start investigations to expose these hypocrites.
(and one other thing... I think it's really funny that a guy named Crapo gets listed with a guy named Santorum [not work safe].
What to wear? What to wear?
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Please do NOT vote for this blog
It's that time of year... web awards season... when bloggers get to ask you to vote for them in an effort to be designated as the biggest vote getter. I was preparing my "it's just an honor to be nominated with these amaz...." when I wondered, "How can these awards be used to create some positive change?"
Now get this. Fifteen LGBT blogs have been nominated. The total number of those blogs from women: One! Of course, this should come as no surprise as the awards are run by right leaning Wizbang.
So, I hope visitors will go to the Weblog voting page and vote for Pam's House Blend and help put the L back in LGBT.
Here's my idea. Go to this link, and vote for PAM'S HOUSE BLEND. Why help move the Blend up to the number one slot? The logic is simple, In a blog world dominated by guys, Pam continues to break new ground. Her site is a daily must read.
Now get this. Fifteen LGBT blogs have been nominated. The total number of those blogs from women: One! Of course, this should come as no surprise as the awards are run by right leaning Wizbang.
So, I hope visitors will go to the Weblog voting page and vote for Pam's House Blend and help put the L back in LGBT.
Steve Gilliard on Duke's reputation
Well known political blogger Steve Gilliard posted today about the many rumors swirling around Duke Cunningham. In his post, Gilliard quotes the Washington Blade editorial and gives his views on the decision of gay and lesbian organziations to not endorse the reporting on anti-gay hypocrites in elected office (Gilliard also skewers Don't Ask, Don't Tell):
But the reason I'm posting this is not about where his dick goes as much as why Gay groups still protect those who work against their interests. This isn't about privacy, but openly declaring disdain for gays, while dating men on the side. If Bill Clinton can be hammeered for his sexual lapses, why do gay conservatives get a pass? [emphasis added]Gilliard is right. So, starting tomorrow, we're going to notch it up a level and I'm going to be seeking information from tipsters on those Senators who are sponsors or co-sponsors. Straight, gay, or whatever...I am interested in the real info and background on those who are complete hypocrites. We've dealt with the House for a while... Now it's time to see what's happening in the Senate.
Here's the deal: Cunningham, despite his ethical lapses, served this country with distinction and his tactics, which led to the forming of Top Gun, has saved lives and improved the defense of this country.
All worthy of recognition.
So what does it say that he could be a superior fighter pilot and naval officer, while having romantic relationships with men. That a lot of the argument about gays in the military is utter and complete bullshit. [emphasis added]
Monday, December 05, 2005
Another Duke Cunningham sex scandal?
You to the math....
As Edwin Edwards, past governor of Louisiana said, "I could not lose unless I was caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy." (That, of course, was before he was convicted on racketeering charges.) So, Duke... just who was in the hospitality suite?
Washington Blade reports on Duke Cunningham +
National Journal talk about "hospitality suite
with several bedrooms" =Lots of talk in DC
National Journal talk about "hospitality suite
with several bedrooms" =Lots of talk in DC
As Edwin Edwards, past governor of Louisiana said, "I could not lose unless I was caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy." (That, of course, was before he was convicted on racketeering charges.) So, Duke... just who was in the hospitality suite?
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Would Roy Cohn have been a fair recipient of this site's Roy Cohn Award?
As long time readers know, I have been quick to call out the Washington Blade when I've disagreed with them. Equally, I am quick to support them when they, in my opinion, get it right. Their reporting on my work around David Dreier was good. Their hiring Jeff Gannon, a known plagiarist who opposes National Coming Out Day was bad. (Why a paper would want to have on its staff a writer who has been proven to steal the work of others is something I will never understand. But, hey, it's their paper.)
This week, the Blade's Executive Editor, Chris Crain, wrote an editorial confirming stories about ex-US Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham:
What you won't read about in these mainstream press accounts is the other double life led by the closet case, Duke, the anti-gay conservative.
Then Crain explained how reporting on these closet-cases does change votes. Sharing with readers that the only reason Steve Gunderson and Jim Kolbe came out was because they knew activists were going to do it for them. Crain explains:
Neither [Kolbe or Gunderson] had been particularly friendly to gay rights while still in the closet. Kolbe had scored a 43 and a 67 on HRC's report card, while Gunderson managed a mediocre 57. Once they no longer were living their own double-life lies, their voting records followed suit. They both scored a perfect 100 in the term after they came out, and Kolbe went on to score perfect or near-perfect scores every term since.The editorial went even further, reporting on the closeted members of Congress who are anti-gay. We all know that Mark Foley is a closeted gay man -- I'm glad to see Crain calling him out. And David Dreier, too:
The same could be said for Mark Foley, a Florida Republican who traveled openly within gay circles with his long-term partner until he went back into the closet for a U.S. Senate run in 2004.Reading Crain refer to my work on the story of Sen. Mikulski (D-MD) confirms what early followers of this campaign have known all along; blogaCTIVE is nonpartisan. For all of the yelling and screaming about this campaign being anti-GOP, here's a bit of a story from July of 2004, the first month of blogACTIVE.com:
...
David Dreier, a member of the Republican House leadership, is also openly closeted, refusing to deny long-standing rumors that he is gay. The rumors only came to a head in the last year, and their only visible impact so far was to take Dreier out of the running for House majority leader after Tom DeLay was forced to resign.
The group had targeted Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland. The 67-year-old Democratic senator, has never married and her opponents hit Mikulski early in her political career with questions about her sexual orientation. And in the past week Mikulski has in fact backed off supporting the Federal Marriage Amendment. (emphasis added).
* * *
I don't agree with Crain's take on national groups when he writes, "every major gay rights group has flatly rejected outing." While none have come out and expressly endorsed this work, national organizations have taken more of a mixed view than Crain implies.
NGLTF's Executive Director, Matt Foreman said in an interview with MetroWeekly:
"...I think there's a consensus in the organization that outing is appropriate when gay people vote to deprive us of our human rights. I'm talking about people who have the power to do something.'Chuck Wolfe of the Victory Fund explained that while it was not the group's agenda to engage in such reporting they don't condemn it either:
''If we ever outed anyone, we'd lose our credibility with the people we work with,'' said Chuck Wolfe. ''On the other hand, who can condemn people for using whatever weapons they have to fight for equality and point out hypocrisy? It seems exactly why we have a democracy.'' [Emphasis added]
While The Human Rights Campaign -- under Cheryl Jacques -- at first expressed opposition to this work, their tone changed when they were reminded that they also have engaged in what some call "outing" -- The Human Rights Campaign outed ex-gay leader John Paulk years ago.
HRC's new President, Joe Solmonese, spoke with The Hill (3/30/05) and here's what he had to say on the topic:
Q: What do you think of outing campaigns?Different people have different philosophies about this and approach it in different ways. ... If you're outing someone on the Hill, are you doing it because you're going to change their mind about their vote?... I think that I and the HRC focus on how people vote and what people say.
A:
Q: Would you advise people who are waging outing campaigns to stop?
A: Well, I haven't really had a long conversation with anyone who's on this, so I can only speak to what I think.
Q: Can you say whether the campaigns are good or bad, helpful or unhelpful?
A: You ask yourself, good, bad, helpful or unhelpful in doing what? In doing what? I'd be curious to see how they would answer that sentence. Is it in causing someone to lose their job? Is it in changing a vote, changing the direction of Congress? That is the question I would ask.
Q: Have you seen votes changed as a result of outing campaigns?
A: No, I haven't.
As Crain's editorial proves, those pushed out of the closet do change votes and are more likely to support the community they are no longer secretly a member of.
The debate over the senior staff is as easy one for me to answer. When I look at Roy Cohn, I see the man who would have most definitely been the award's first recipient. And he was a staff member.