Thursday, July 22, 2004
I took the day off to buy a toilet, a sink, and do some more plaster work (I'm playing with the new Blogger colors, forgive me). While I was doing the latter I spent some time thinking about gay Republicans. I've had recent run-ins with two- one just seemed to be an idiot, the other was all about personal responsibility and cutting taxes so his paycheck would be bigger.
Jump back in time to 1989- I was attending grad school at Arizona State and ended up being co-chair of the lesbian and gay group on campus. I was introduced to D., another gay archaeologist, and was smitten. He was really good looking, furry, had an interesting way of speaking, etc. The archaeologist thing was kinda nice too. Unfortunately (and isn't life full of unfortunatelys?), D. also was conservative. He didn't particularly like being gay, probably would have changed to straight if he could. However, he liked dick to much.
The gays in the miltary thing was just starting and as head of the campus group I wrote a letter making fun of Arizona State's head of ROTC program, who was quoted as saying that gays shouldn't be allowed into ROTC because "some people don't like them." He didn't bother naming them, of course. That's a great way of thinking, I must remember to apply that sometime. But I digress, so D. called me up and chewed me out for being a "militant gay guy." D. never quite made the connection between social activists who campaigned for gay rights, and the fact that he could go out to gay bars without the fear of being arrested. Weren't gay rights given a kick in the ass by the drag queens at Stonewall (by the way, we need a postage stamp commemorating that event).
The two recent gay Republicans seem to have forgotten this as well. They both told me that since the marriage amendment wasn't going to pass the Senate, that everything was fine and dandy. I brought up the recent rise in gay bashing here in Tucson, the fact that moderate Republicans were being pushed out of the party, that sitting around and keeping quiet never results in positive social change. In both these guy's minds it is all about keeping more of their paycheck, I guess they figure that having dollars in the bank means they will be safe.
I wish I could be so complacent, but I'm not. As Palochi writes in his story (good job, by the way!), if gays aren't diligent and make our votes and dollars heard, things aren't going to be so grand. But I suppose those greedy gay Republicans will have enough money to buy their way out. Geez, I guess I'm being one of those pessimistic liberals (must think positive!).
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Jump back in time to 1989- I was attending grad school at Arizona State and ended up being co-chair of the lesbian and gay group on campus. I was introduced to D., another gay archaeologist, and was smitten. He was really good looking, furry, had an interesting way of speaking, etc. The archaeologist thing was kinda nice too. Unfortunately (and isn't life full of unfortunatelys?), D. also was conservative. He didn't particularly like being gay, probably would have changed to straight if he could. However, he liked dick to much.
The gays in the miltary thing was just starting and as head of the campus group I wrote a letter making fun of Arizona State's head of ROTC program, who was quoted as saying that gays shouldn't be allowed into ROTC because "some people don't like them." He didn't bother naming them, of course. That's a great way of thinking, I must remember to apply that sometime. But I digress, so D. called me up and chewed me out for being a "militant gay guy." D. never quite made the connection between social activists who campaigned for gay rights, and the fact that he could go out to gay bars without the fear of being arrested. Weren't gay rights given a kick in the ass by the drag queens at Stonewall (by the way, we need a postage stamp commemorating that event).
The two recent gay Republicans seem to have forgotten this as well. They both told me that since the marriage amendment wasn't going to pass the Senate, that everything was fine and dandy. I brought up the recent rise in gay bashing here in Tucson, the fact that moderate Republicans were being pushed out of the party, that sitting around and keeping quiet never results in positive social change. In both these guy's minds it is all about keeping more of their paycheck, I guess they figure that having dollars in the bank means they will be safe.
I wish I could be so complacent, but I'm not. As Palochi writes in his story (good job, by the way!), if gays aren't diligent and make our votes and dollars heard, things aren't going to be so grand. But I suppose those greedy gay Republicans will have enough money to buy their way out. Geez, I guess I'm being one of those pessimistic liberals (must think positive!).
