Angry and frightened by the Larry Craig nonsense, one of our former student editors
came out to the university community – hell, the world – a few days ago. I'm pleased to see that
his letter to Andrew Sullivan was published on Sullivan's site this afternoon. I'm proud of Joel.
2 comments:
Joel's article and letter are impressive, courageous and touching.
Like any other flaming liberal, I dispute the idea that the "crime" in question was classified as such by anyone but the GOP themselves. Of course it's a personal decision to be in denial. But when your voting record as a politician stems is a history of condemning the freedom of such personal feelings (crusading against, ironically, hypocrisy-condemning Barney Frank), you're asking for it by advocating a stance contrary to your actual life.
An out gay man has a hard enough time getting a political career, and triple that for Republicans, so that bloc of the nation is already horribly misrepresented in our legislature.
Joel's piece in the Beacon (weird, my school paper was also the Beacon) is a step in the right direction if Republicans want respect from the more choice-identified party. But it's kidding oneself to believe that Craig shouldn't be fighting for the rights he won't admit he believes in. The afterlife is a theory as long as no one can come back from it. Homosexuality is real, real, real. The Republican party would do themselves a great service to members like Craig and their unrealistically restrictive reputation on the whole to stop governing in denial. Living in denial is fine. But representing a portion of the country under one's confused personal ideal is just painful for those who can't afford the privilege of denial.
For my money, Joel's piece is the best thing the Beacon ever printed. I really want to talk to him now.
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