Manhattan Chowder, Back in the Big Apple

Thank You, Senator Craig!

You may be wondering how I could possibly let the whole Larry Craig debacle go by without comment here on Manhattan Chowder. Well, to be honest, I was waiting for the story to come to some kind of conclusion before I remarked on it. But it seems the story keeps lingering, in part because Craig himself does not wish the story to die. Every week we are subjected to this delusional man’s next step in the story: First he’s guilty, then he’s not, then he’ll resign, then he won’t, etc. Craig has suffered much criticism from both the gay and straight community for not only his handling of the situation, but also, for allowing himself to engage in this kind of behavior to begin with. But to Larry Craig, I say THANK YOU!

Thank you, Larry Craig, for showing us what the darkness of the closet can do.

Thank you for providing a generation of gay self-help authors with the perfect example for the chapters in their books titled "Don’t Let This Happen to You."

Thank you for illustrating so vividly that a man, gay or straight, who owns his sexuality can have nothing taken away from him, and that a man who lies about it has no credibility about anything in his life and is doomed to become a laughing stock and a scape goat for others to push around.

Thank you for showing us how powerful self loathing can be that a man with a career of almost 30 years in public service can self-sabotage it all for a quickie in a men's room.

Thank you for showing us how shame and envy can result in the harm of others who live openly and proudly by trying to legislate us out of existence by voting against gay marriage or protection against hate crimes simply because you’re not man enough to face who you are.

Thank you for showing us that lying about one’s sexuality can lead to a whole host of other lies (wide stance?) each more ridiculous and implausible than the last.

Thank you for showing America that the majority of the men who engage in this kind of unseemly anonymous sex in public places do not, in fact, identify as gay, but are closeted individuals often with wives and children.

I don’t know whether Larry Craig will actually resign or if he will be successful in overturning his guilty plea. But the damage is done. His career and probably his marriage are over. Let's learn what we can from this and move on.

Labels: Gay Politics, Homophobia, Politics

posted by Michael @ 11:16 AM