Former Republican Congressman Mark Foley brings up many issues for people. You can compound that by a factor of ten, at least, if you are gay. He also represents a teachable moment, albeit a negative lesson, about the consequences of denial, repression, and stigma. Unfortunately, Wendy Wright of the Concerned Women for America is missing the lesson and continues a pattern of generalization trying to link healthy gay people with unhealthy predatory [5] behavior.
If you understand repression, of anything, you understand pressure makes people do some strange things. One can empathize with Foley's alleged substance abuse [6], the numbing that denial might seem to require in moments of despair. One can even understand the notion of "arrested development" [7] with respect to sexuality. As we witnessed in the Roman Catholic priest scandal, people who choose to sacrifice some part of themselves to pursue or accentuate another, or who suffer trauma like molestation, can create "age inappropriate" behavior.
Celibacy or abstinence, chosen for spiritual or personal reasons, is completely understandable but is clearly not for everyone. The joyful and sacred quality of sex chosen out of respect for and from each partner, is just as important to understand.
Unfortunately, Mark Foley traded truth for power and his repression and denial of who he is lead him to his destructive behavior. Few gay men choose to abstain from sex and that does not make them pedophiles. While social conservatives are trying to scapegoat gay GOP staffers, American voters are finally calling their bluff [8].
Mark Foley was wrong and his leadership was too. Many gay politicians [9] in both parties are winning and serving their communities by leading open and honest lives. Honesty and the support of family and friends supercede fear, shame and repression. The stigma that social conservatives preach about homosexuals has come home to roost.
Speaking of choice and forgiveness, social conservatives and the GOP have a choice to make. They are either going to begin a witch hunt that will put the Inquisition to shame; or they are going to take a huge step toward the accountability and responsibility they so frequently preach. To do that they must acknowledge that gay people deserve respect and once and for all separate sexuality, which can be expressed sacredly in many ways, from pedophilia, which is based in fear, power, control, secrecy, and shame -- like their campaign tactics.
Holding appropriate people responsible and accountable [10], regardless of their sexual orientation or leadership position, is a must. So is accepting gay Americans as equal under the law.
The Culture War is a myth, perpetuated by social conservatives to hold power over moderate Republicans and manipulate persuadable voters through fear. Many civilizations have already dealt with issues of sexual and reproductive behavior in very responsible, compassionate and sacred ways, by putting them in the proper context of health: physical, mental and spiritual, and finding balance. We may truly be witnessing the End of Days for the myths the Far Right has created. Their lust for power manifested for a generation, but everyone sees the same polls:
- Support for safe, legal and rare abortions remains strong [11] after 30 years of withering attack.
- Prohibiting contraception, despite the flights of fancy [12] of a few, likely will only make people less inclined [13] to listen to the far right.
- More Americans support gay civil rights [14] and marraige equality for same gender couples.
- People want to die with the same dignity [15] with which they lived.
- Parents want [13] their teenagers to have comprehensive sexuality education.
Why do parents support comprehensive sexuality education, you ask?
Because they want the next generation of leaders to be more responsible, respectful and accountable with themselves and their sacred trust, than is the current self-proclaimed "moral" majority. Of course, this generation of political leaders offers more responsibility, respect and accountability too -- if voters make that choice on November 7.