Politics Schmolitics
In my 2nd post on this blog (2-1/2 months ago...) I said that I might talk about politics every once in a while. I have not done so, mostly because when I DO actually have time to post anything, it has something to do with my life. You see... I don't live in Washington DC, nor any other capital of anything. I live in an unincorporated county that is Republican dominated, but surrounding a city that is Democratically controlled.
I did, however, live in DC for three years after leaving the Air Force. It wasn't the most happy time for me. But there, NATIONAL news is LOCAL news, no matter what happens in it. Just about everythig the congress did affected DC residents (like myself) on a daily basis.
That, my friends, is taxation without representation. DC is not in a state, nor is it a state of it's own. There was no representation in the Senate, and only sparse representation in the House. The "Delegate" from DC was only allowed to vote in committee, not on House Bills when they come to the entire House for up or down votes. But still, politics was in your daily life. When I was a bartender, staffers and congressmen alike would come into the bar (Hey there Barney!!). It didn't matter if they were out or not, I just served them their Vodka Tonic like any one else.
But now it seems that many Democratic "strategists" have said it is okay for Gay Men to "Out" other Gay Men (and women...) so long as those other gay men are perceived as working "against" the cause. So... when I worked at the Department of Commerce and was not "out" to my co-workers, it would have been okay with Michael Rogers to "out" me, because I worked for the George H. W. Bush Administration.
Now, according to Mike Rogers, it didn't matter that I was a low level secratary (whoopsie... I mean Administrative Assistant... that's a GS2 for those of you in the know. I made $200 a week, and that was in the early 1990's) that had no control over policy in the White House. But, because I worked a few feet away from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, it would be perfectly okie dokey to out me to my boss and my co-workers. Perfectly fine to call my place of business, my co-workers, and my boss at work and harrass them because they have a closeted gay man working there. It doesn't matter that I wasn't out at work, but only that I lived with another man in a same-sex relationship, and therefore, in his mind, I should be out and speaking out against all of the then-president's policies.
And gods forgive me if I actually agreed with anything the then-president said. Like maybe... Sadam Huesain is a bad guy. We should protect Kuwait. We need to do something about the economy. (okay... he never said that one...) No new taxes!!! (Yes, he said that, but got bribed into signing one anyway... sent up to him under the guise of yet-another democratically controlled congressional law that put the tax-raise in there).
Listen carefully.
I agree with a lot of the stuff coming out of the Bush Whitehouse, as well as our currently Republican-controlled Congress.
This does not mean that I agree with everything. I lean to the right as far as most politics go. I agee that taxes are bad for our economy. The more you tax people, the more they try to get OUT of paying them. Don't believe me? Look at your last 1040. Did you claim the interest on that house you own? Did you claim your children? Did you pay your paycheck deduction for insurance BEFORE or after you were taxed? If you paid on a cafeteria plan, you did not get taxed on that amount. Everyone does it. I understand, but when I do it, I can't say that you are a bad person because YOU do it... especially if it is legal.
The fact of the matter is... Democrats raise taxes. Then, they create loopholes so that people don't have to pay them. Republicans tend to want to LOWER your taxes, to put more of YOUR money back into YOUR pocket.
My problem with the Republican party? They won't stay out of my bedroom. I admit it. They say that my relationship with my "husband" isn't as good as their relationship with their "wife/husband". I understand that this is a problem. I don't like it when they shove their bible down my throat, either. It isn't my bible. Just because your bible says I will go to hell because I don't believe what is written in it, doesn't mean anything to me. When I die, my body will rot and turn to dust. I'm okay with that. If what you think of as my "soul" goes to what you are calling "hell", well, that's my choice, isn't it? I do not need you to save me or my soul.
So. Now. Back to Michael Rogers. "Mister" Rogers outs Republicans that he feels are working against the Gay Democratic Party. Need examples? Here's one. Here's another. Then there is the spots where he talks about former NYC mayor Ed Koch. First... who doesn't know that Ed Koch is gay? Second... do we really care? Mayor Koch didn't do anything (to my recollection... but I am a bit too young to remember him as mayor, and I've never lived in NYC) to "hurt" gay people. He's just kept his mouth shut. The only problem that Mike Rogers had with him (and the purpose of his post on the website) was that Mayor Koch was going to speak at the Republican National Convention last summer. That's it. There was no report that the former mayor was going to say anything like... "death to gay people", or "two men loving each other is not the same as a man and wife relationship" or anything else like that. Just something like, "vote republican, vote George W. Bush"... blah blah blah. Is the 80+ year old not allowed to have an opinion regarding voting for president because he is a closet homo and likes George W. Bush? I guess, according to Mike Rogers, he is not.
Sorry bucko. I am a gay man who proudly votes Republican, lives in a relationship with another gay man, agrees (more often then not) with my staunchly conservative siblings, but I vote my own mind. I didn't vote for George W. Bush in the 2004 election. Let me say that again. I am a registered Republican who DID NOT VOTE for George W. Bush in the 2004 election. My reasons for not voting for him are my own. Since this is not a political blog, I see no reason for telling anyone why. I am not trying to get you to agree with me. In fact, I don't give a rat's ass if you do or don't agree with me. I vote my own fucking mind, period.
Having said that, I also did NOT vote for the gay-vote pandering (when they are listening, anyway) Democratic nominee, either. He said to us... "I feel for your, I agree with you... you mean something to me...", but then he returned to Washington DC and voted against us. Was there any mention of this from Mike Rogers or John Aravosis about this? Good gods, no. They still believe he was our savior from the likes of the Republican party. The same way they believed that Bill Clinton was the savior of us all. Can I just mention that he created that wonderful "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy? Now more gay men are uncerimoniously kicked out of the military than when I was in the Air Force. And believe me, I know from Military Witch Hunts, I survived one. He is also the President that will go down in history as the one that signed the "Defense of Marriage Act"... Gay men who fall at their feet in his presence (much like Monica did... not that there is anything wrong with that) always forget that. They don't "out" any of his staffers...
-- oi vey. I've just realized how long this post has gotten. Let me wrap it up... ---
As you all know, there are a few links in my blogroll. Blogs that I read every day. Most of them are Republican sites. Dude, it's okay. You can read things and make up your own mind about them. That's what I do.
But GayPatriot was a bit different. He is a gay man who happens to also be a Republican, and damned proud of it, too. He started his blog to fight people like Mike Rogers. Read this, his second post.
Then, he posted this:
What was Michael Roger's reaction?
Let me say this one more time. I think outing is wrong, whether one is completely out, or just a little out. Period.
As soon as I can figure out the code to let the above image remain at the top (or the side, for that matter) of my blog, I will do so.
GayPatriot deserves that. Anyone would, regardless of how I feel about their personal opinions.
Michael Rogers IS a terrorist. What he did to a fellow gay man (who has hurt no one) proves it.
I did, however, live in DC for three years after leaving the Air Force. It wasn't the most happy time for me. But there, NATIONAL news is LOCAL news, no matter what happens in it. Just about everythig the congress did affected DC residents (like myself) on a daily basis.
That, my friends, is taxation without representation. DC is not in a state, nor is it a state of it's own. There was no representation in the Senate, and only sparse representation in the House. The "Delegate" from DC was only allowed to vote in committee, not on House Bills when they come to the entire House for up or down votes. But still, politics was in your daily life. When I was a bartender, staffers and congressmen alike would come into the bar (Hey there Barney!!). It didn't matter if they were out or not, I just served them their Vodka Tonic like any one else.
But now it seems that many Democratic "strategists" have said it is okay for Gay Men to "Out" other Gay Men (and women...) so long as those other gay men are perceived as working "against" the cause. So... when I worked at the Department of Commerce and was not "out" to my co-workers, it would have been okay with Michael Rogers to "out" me, because I worked for the George H. W. Bush Administration.
Now, according to Mike Rogers, it didn't matter that I was a low level secratary (whoopsie... I mean Administrative Assistant... that's a GS2 for those of you in the know. I made $200 a week, and that was in the early 1990's) that had no control over policy in the White House. But, because I worked a few feet away from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, it would be perfectly okie dokey to out me to my boss and my co-workers. Perfectly fine to call my place of business, my co-workers, and my boss at work and harrass them because they have a closeted gay man working there. It doesn't matter that I wasn't out at work, but only that I lived with another man in a same-sex relationship, and therefore, in his mind, I should be out and speaking out against all of the then-president's policies.
And gods forgive me if I actually agreed with anything the then-president said. Like maybe... Sadam Huesain is a bad guy. We should protect Kuwait. We need to do something about the economy. (okay... he never said that one...) No new taxes!!! (Yes, he said that, but got bribed into signing one anyway... sent up to him under the guise of yet-another democratically controlled congressional law that put the tax-raise in there).
Listen carefully.
I agree with a lot of the stuff coming out of the Bush Whitehouse, as well as our currently Republican-controlled Congress.
This does not mean that I agree with everything. I lean to the right as far as most politics go. I agee that taxes are bad for our economy. The more you tax people, the more they try to get OUT of paying them. Don't believe me? Look at your last 1040. Did you claim the interest on that house you own? Did you claim your children? Did you pay your paycheck deduction for insurance BEFORE or after you were taxed? If you paid on a cafeteria plan, you did not get taxed on that amount. Everyone does it. I understand, but when I do it, I can't say that you are a bad person because YOU do it... especially if it is legal.
The fact of the matter is... Democrats raise taxes. Then, they create loopholes so that people don't have to pay them. Republicans tend to want to LOWER your taxes, to put more of YOUR money back into YOUR pocket.
My problem with the Republican party? They won't stay out of my bedroom. I admit it. They say that my relationship with my "husband" isn't as good as their relationship with their "wife/husband". I understand that this is a problem. I don't like it when they shove their bible down my throat, either. It isn't my bible. Just because your bible says I will go to hell because I don't believe what is written in it, doesn't mean anything to me. When I die, my body will rot and turn to dust. I'm okay with that. If what you think of as my "soul" goes to what you are calling "hell", well, that's my choice, isn't it? I do not need you to save me or my soul.
So. Now. Back to Michael Rogers. "Mister" Rogers outs Republicans that he feels are working against the Gay Democratic Party. Need examples? Here's one. Here's another. Then there is the spots where he talks about former NYC mayor Ed Koch. First... who doesn't know that Ed Koch is gay? Second... do we really care? Mayor Koch didn't do anything (to my recollection... but I am a bit too young to remember him as mayor, and I've never lived in NYC) to "hurt" gay people. He's just kept his mouth shut. The only problem that Mike Rogers had with him (and the purpose of his post on the website) was that Mayor Koch was going to speak at the Republican National Convention last summer. That's it. There was no report that the former mayor was going to say anything like... "death to gay people", or "two men loving each other is not the same as a man and wife relationship" or anything else like that. Just something like, "vote republican, vote George W. Bush"... blah blah blah. Is the 80+ year old not allowed to have an opinion regarding voting for president because he is a closet homo and likes George W. Bush? I guess, according to Mike Rogers, he is not.
Sorry bucko. I am a gay man who proudly votes Republican, lives in a relationship with another gay man, agrees (more often then not) with my staunchly conservative siblings, but I vote my own mind. I didn't vote for George W. Bush in the 2004 election. Let me say that again. I am a registered Republican who DID NOT VOTE for George W. Bush in the 2004 election. My reasons for not voting for him are my own. Since this is not a political blog, I see no reason for telling anyone why. I am not trying to get you to agree with me. In fact, I don't give a rat's ass if you do or don't agree with me. I vote my own fucking mind, period.
Having said that, I also did NOT vote for the gay-vote pandering (when they are listening, anyway) Democratic nominee, either. He said to us... "I feel for your, I agree with you... you mean something to me...", but then he returned to Washington DC and voted against us. Was there any mention of this from Mike Rogers or John Aravosis about this? Good gods, no. They still believe he was our savior from the likes of the Republican party. The same way they believed that Bill Clinton was the savior of us all. Can I just mention that he created that wonderful "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy? Now more gay men are uncerimoniously kicked out of the military than when I was in the Air Force. And believe me, I know from Military Witch Hunts, I survived one. He is also the President that will go down in history as the one that signed the "Defense of Marriage Act"... Gay men who fall at their feet in his presence (much like Monica did... not that there is anything wrong with that) always forget that. They don't "out" any of his staffers...
-- oi vey. I've just realized how long this post has gotten. Let me wrap it up... ---
As you all know, there are a few links in my blogroll. Blogs that I read every day. Most of them are Republican sites. Dude, it's okay. You can read things and make up your own mind about them. That's what I do.
But GayPatriot was a bit different. He is a gay man who happens to also be a Republican, and damned proud of it, too. He started his blog to fight people like Mike Rogers. Read this, his second post.
Then, he posted this:
What was Michael Roger's reaction?
"According to GayPatriot, who is also a client of [the writer}, Michael Rogers called GayPatriot's place of employment on Friday immediately following the post above and spoke to GayPatriot's secretary and boss. GayPatriot had no idea Rogers would go to such measures and shared with me that both he and his secretary were very upset by the calls but that his boss was understanding.
Later on that day, Rogers personally called [the writer] and recounted much of the same account, adding that he had also called the police and is working with the authorities on the matter. Rogers expressed feeling threatened by the post and compared it to posts by anti-abortionists who posted the names of doctors performing them.
Rogers also said he asked GayPatriot to remove the post and replace it with a post about non-violence or he would launch a national boycott of GayPatriot's corporate employer and pursue any and all avenues necessary to protect himself. By the time Rogers had called, GayPatriot had already made the decision to remove the post and also remove GayPatriot from the blogosphere."
Let me say this one more time. I think outing is wrong, whether one is completely out, or just a little out. Period.
As soon as I can figure out the code to let the above image remain at the top (or the side, for that matter) of my blog, I will do so.
GayPatriot deserves that. Anyone would, regardless of how I feel about their personal opinions.
Michael Rogers IS a terrorist. What he did to a fellow gay man (who has hurt no one) proves it.
posted by Mike at 3/30/2005 10:21:00 PM
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