Ah yes, the ‘ole “I don’t care that you’re gay, but why do you feel the need to jam your lifestyle down everyone’s throat?” argument.
Speaking about out Pennsylvania Republican lawmaker Mike Fleck (who will almost certainly lose his house seat this week), State Senator John H. Eichelberger Jr. had this hindsight to offer:
“…if [Fleck] had just gone about his business and people thought he was a homosexual or heterosexual or whatever, there wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Or whatever” is right. But he wasn’t finished putting his foot in his mouth:
“A lot of people thought that Mike was a homosexual,” Eichelberger said. “He didn’t announce it and it was OK. The feeling from many people is, he put them in a very uncomfortable position” by coming out.
It sounds like you might be one of those people, Senator.
How about we take this to the next level?
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For his part, Fleck knew he was potentially committing political suicide, saying:
“I am gay. I don’t wear it on my sleeve, it doesn’t define who I am, and quite frankly it’s the least interesting part about me. Nevertheless, I knew that when I came out this race would be nothing more, nothing less than whether my constituency could wrap their mind around the fact that I was a gay man. People fear that which is different.”
Pennsylvania recently became the 19th state to allow same-sex marriage, but clearly they haven’t approved same-sex Republicans yet.
via HuffPost
Mezaien
Who are the “Lawmaker” bunch of D.E.K.C.U.F UP Christian republicans.
James Hart
I don’t care if a politician is gay or straight. I will vote for her/him as long as we share the same political philosophy. That should be true for everyone. But,it’s not. How very sad!
toberlin
“The feeling from many people is,HE PUT THEM in a very unconfortable position”
???
Ex Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle (openly gay) was 2010 in the USA…
toberlin
I seem to feel uncomfortable with the word uncomfortable as well…
Bulls Eye
Gay Republican? He sure looks like an old white guy to me. If being gay is the only wrinkle, I’m sure many Republican have some real problems that would curl the hair of their constituencies.
But still: why in God’s name do people want to belong clubs that don’t want them as members.
Kangol
Basic question: why are Fleck’s Republican colleagues so uncomfortable with him being out and open? Why are they so homophobic? What are they afraid of?