On Jeff Gannon and Homophobia.

Hey, Y'all-

Someone asked me in comments why I'm so "homophobic about Jeff Gannon". I'm seeing this a lot on the liberal blogs, so let's clarify this situation.

I'm not "homophobic" about anyone. I state clearly on my main blog, The Goddess.org that I am pansexual. My problem with Jeff Gannon is two- fold: Hypocrisy and bigotry. Gannon has been proven to be an active male prostitute, which wouldn't bother me if he hadn't been given unprecedented access to a pResident who allows less access than any other in recent memory. Such a person could never pass the requisite Secret Service investigation. It only took John Aravosis two days to get the documents on him, with no special resources at his disposal. We're talking receipts and explicit photos in active, on-line accounts. Nothing there to be disputed, no matter how they try to spin it.

Now, add to this that the Bush Administration is poisonously homophobic in its policies. They are trying to write discrimination into the Constitution - the one document that is supposed to be the standard of freedom and liberty. They have defended the rights of religious groups who take federal money (offensive in and of itself) to discriminate against gays. They are actively opposing social progress that would mean millions of people who have been treated as an underclass - a no-no in a plural society - to share equal rights with others who have previously enjoyed favored status. This makes it even stranger that a Male Prostitute would be given such free access to the pResident without appropriate documentation. My post below details the basis for homophobia. Methinks someone in the Administration doth protest far too much, and that we've only scratched the surface when it comes to closeted homosexuals in the Republican party participating in virulent anti-gay rights activities.

Now, let's look at young Jeff's credentials. He was writing for a Republican front masquerading as a news service, that went into business after he had access to the White House. He has no formal training in journalism, except attending a seminar designed to train Republican shills. Not working for a legitimate news source+not being trained or employed in journalism = not a journalist. Why was a non-journalist sitting with the White House press corps? Why was he called out by name, not only by Scott McClellan, but by George W. Bush himself?

So why does it matter that he's gay? Because:

• he's an active shill for a party that is actively oppressing gays to buy votes from Christian extremists, who have stated that his type ought to be locked up or even executed (Former Judge Roy Moore, among others) and
• his "reports" have supported the anti-gay agenda of the Republicans.

That makes him a:

• Hypocrite - you can't campaign against gay rights while you're getting paid to fuck men. Sorry.
• Liar - Journalists are supposed to search for and report the truth, not play "yes-man" for the politicians they cover.
• Imposter - he's claiming to be something he demonstrably is NOT.
• Traitor - because he's working against his brothers and sisters in the LGBT community.
• Bigot - because he's spreading hate.
• Republican Administration Whore - which is the worst kind of whore to be. I have no problem with prostitution. I have a big problem with taking money to help people hurt me and the people I love.

Favoring Gannon makes the Bush Administration:

• Hypocrites - for hating gay rights but using gays when it helps them. If they really believed their own anti-gay propaganda, they wouldn't let this guy anywhere near the White House.
• Liars - for giving this guy access that is supposed to be reserved to actual Journalists.
• Imposters - because somebody in the White House is not what he claims to be.
• Traitors - because elected officials take an oath to uphold the Constitution, yet their actions undermine it at every turn.
• Bigots- because they would discriminate against us for the way we are born.
• Pimps - if they're benefitting from Gannon's illicit behavior, and
• Whoremongers - if they're paying him or giving him special favors in exchange for his services, whatever those may be.

Mike at BlogActive.com and John at AMERICABlog.org have active campaigns to out gays who work against the communitiy's own interests. I support their efforts. To remain closeted is a personal choice that will be respected as long as it remains a personal issue, but when a person actively campaigns against equal rights for gays, whether for profit or influence, they become fair game. If you promote anti-gay legislation and get caught cruising gay chat lines, or frequenting gay clubs, your political choices have negated your right to privacy. You can't have it both ways anymore. You can't enjoy the benefits of the community while working to destroy it, or drive it underground. As W. would say "you're either with us, or against us." We didn't make the rules. He did.

I think adults should be able to live any way they choose. When you try to prevent me from living as I choose, you have a problem, and that problem is ME.

I hope that clears things up.