More Love For GOP's Gay Silence
 
 


Homo-journo James Kirchick lavishes more praise on Republicans and their relative gay silence at last week's convention.

Once the fiercest of the culture warriors, Republicans have a long history of railing against the gays, but remained relatively mum during the events in St. Paul, Kirchick credits to multiple factors, not least of all John McCain…

The absence of antigay rhetoric has much to do with Mr. McCain; he is comfortable around gay people, and his old-fashioned sense of honor proscribes against making them pariahs for political gain. He also has a better record on gay issues than most of his Republican colleagues, having courageously stood up against his party by opposing the FMA.
…
Republicans might also have noticed the opinions of their own party members and realized that attacking the "gay agenda" would prove unpopular. On the eve of the convention, a New York Times/CBS News poll reported 49% of Republican delegates were in support of either civil unions (43%) or marriage (6%) for gay couples. While 90% of Democratic delegates support either marriage (55%) or civil unions (35%), Republican delegates — the party's conservative base — are actually more liberal on this issue than Republican voters, only 39% of whom support either option. With 58% of the American public in favor of some form of legal recognition, Republicans are actually closer to the national mood, and are hopefully beginning to understand that Buchananite "cultural war" rhetoric is fast becoming a thing of the past.

Kirchick isn't entirely pleased with McCain and points out that the Republican presidential candidate could have used his acceptance speech to defend his lavender peers. Like many others, however, Kirchick's still appreciative:

[McCain] criticized his party for succumbing to the "temptations of corruption" and wasteful spending. But he also could have gone after their cynical stigmatization of an entire class of citizens. That Mr. McCain declined to go after his party on this matter is unfortunate, if understandable, given the grief he's caused them on so many other fronts. It may sound like cold comfort, but gay people have something to appreciate in the fact that, this year, Republicans left them alone.

We guess that's better than being used as a political tool, but – c'mon! Isn't the American democracy built on involvement in political parties? What's that thing about "No taxation without representation"? That revolutionary idea's not simply about one man, one vote, but about the political embrace.

 
Sep 9, 2008 · Link · 14 Responses
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Comments (14)

No. 1 · ggreen

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?("Our American Cousin"-Starring Sarah Palin).

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 8:52 am
No. 2 · CitizenGeek

It's really pathetic that people are almost thanking the GOP for not disrespecting and exploiting gay people.

Both Hillary and Barack mentioned gays in their widely watched speeches, there were rainbow flags in the convention centre, the Democratic platform was the most pro-gay ever, two openly gay congressmen were there, and 200+ gay delegates were invited.

It's not too difficult to see who is the overwhelming winner when it comes to gay inclusion and respect.

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 9:22 am
No. 3 · John Smith

Senator McCain is known to have gay friends and gay staffers, but he doesn't shout about it from the rooftops. Log Cabin members were guests at the McCain family skybox during the Republican convention, but no public announcement was made. The Senator needs to come out of the closet on his support for gays, and gay Republicans need to insist on full inclusion in their party.

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 9:56 am
No. 4 · marco channing

Hmmm. Supporting "don't ask, don't tell, DOMA, voting against ENDA and hate crimes legislation, and telling the saddleback audience that he supports a Constitutional ban on gay marriage means is a "better record" on gay issues? Than who–James Dobson.

I love the Republican new speak. Up is down, down is up. Palin is a reformer 'cause she flip-flopped on the "Bridge to Nowhere" and McCain is a maverick even though he votes with Bush 90% of the time.

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 10:21 am
No. 5 · Jason

Shepards will change, but sheep remain sheep

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 10:45 am
No. 6 · Ston

Does he also thank his boyfriend for not beating him on particular days? McCain gave his support to the effort in AZ to outlaw gay marraige. What more needs to be said? The anti-gay issue is a done deal in the republican party, they don't NEED to discuss it because for them it's been settled.

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 11:59 am
No. 7 · emb

So we should applaud the repubs because they managed to go a whole three days without saying something vile about homosexuals? THAT'S the standard now?

Sorry, I'm not ready to buy into that sort of Log Cabin nonsense. We were mentioned positively by Obama, Biden, Clinton, Clinton, and Gore, among other speakers: the repubs' silence shouldn't win them any points.

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 12:07 pm
No. 8 · CHURCHILL-Y

I'll take the Maverick any day over the other theatrical stuttering clown. Hollywood you can have your Obama I want my McCain and Sarah in DC!

Well we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

And we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

Well he got shot down in a Vietnam town
Fighting for the red, white and blue
And they locked him up in the Hanoi Hilton
Thinking they could break him in two

He stayed strong, stayed extra long
'Til they let all the other boys out
Now we've got a real man with an American plan
We're going to put him in the big White House

Well we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

Play that American guitar, son
And we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way

We're all just raisin' McCain
I said we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

Well you can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

McCain ★ Palin '08

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 12:29 pm
No. 9 · seitan-on-a-stick

Silence Equals Death

And, only then will the Republicans give us the Vote!

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 1:42 pm
No. 10 · misspronounced

i just saw this video post of a young conservative talking about homosexuality during a radio interview last week at the RNC. if his views in any way mirror that of palin's or her more rabid supporters (and i'm inclined to think they do) we should be very afraid:

http://www.pushback.org/2008/0.....mment-1642

a "highlight" (if you can call it that…):

”What the homosexual does as a pro-sodomy activist is they ignore the body as an important part of their personal reality,” Sorba said. “They ignore the body as an important part of who they are. So they blind themselves to a part of who they are and who others are.”

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 2:09 pm
No. 11 · mark

McCain just didn't want to hurt the feelings of his self loathing CLOSET CASE friends attending the Convention…right Lindsey Graham? right David Dreier? right Mitch McConnell? right Ken Mehlman? right Karl Rove? right Patrick McHenry? right Condi Rice? right Charlie Crist? right Matt Drudge?

Posted: Sep 9, 2008 at 2:20 pm
No. 12 · Ron Donaghe

Excuse me…but on which planet is John McCain a friend of gay people? He would support an amendment to the US Constitution to ban gay marriage. He supported Arizona's similar ban, and he supports the proposition in California to undo the gay marriage decision there. That is not "silence" out of "respect" for his gay "friends."

Posted: Sep 10, 2008 at 10:34 am
No. 13 · greybat

No. 10- That's a really scary video, Mispronounced!
Thank you,(I think)for the lead!

Posted: Sep 10, 2008 at 3:25 pm
No. 14 · photog

kirchick used to push his neocon bullshit in my college paper. at least then we weren't expected to take it seriously.

It's actually sad. Disingenuous Reaganite posturing will not make his parents forgive him for being queer, no matter how transparent the attempt.

Posted: Sep 11, 2008 at 9:42 pm
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