In office discussions about Foley today, ugly truths are "outed."

[marmar]

Like many on this board, I'm thrilled by the potential damage that the Foley scandal could cause the Repugs. But in discussions at work today about the topic, another consequence emerged, and this one is not so good.
A coworker of mine, who very much considers himself a liberal, was discussing Foley's exploits, and ended with "...and he was sending them to the wrong sex - that's just nasty!" Sadly, a couple of other coworkers nodded in agreement. I called him on it, figuring that hearing it from another heterosexual guy would have a bigger impact on him, and said it would have been nasty no matter what the sex of the minor he was talking to. He retorted, "Yeah, but that's just extra gross."
Unfortunately, I suspect a lot of people are thinking the exact same thing. I think there's going to be this inevitable tie in many people's minds between "gay" and "pervert." And as an African American male, I can definitely relate to that whole phenomenon of having "the worst of your group" held up as the representative for the whole group.
Sorry for my whining, but it's been bugging me all day, and needed a little DU group therapy. :grouphug:

[4morewars]

1. Half the people have an IQ that is below average,

Your co-worker is one of them.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

2. yup...

the half that voted for Bush

[skiddlybop]

4. Tell them this...

Foley was IN A 19-year RELATIONSHIP ... but he obviously ended it because he did not want to be bashed and demoted in the Rethuglican Party like David Dreier was early this year.

So Foley should have been happily partnered...but no, in the Republican Party you have to deflect all of that and seek secret sex with the powerless so that you don't have to explain having a full and equal partner. Or you get what Dreier got.

[Dhalgren]

3. Here ya go!

:hug:

The problem is that Foley is a pervert/predator. His sexual orientation means nothing. I know you know that, but I am just sending some reenforcement. You can't make the blind see; just try not to wind up hating them - that's the really hard part...

:hi:

[marmar]

19. Thanks...

:pals:

[warrens]

5. I think what he meant was...

Being propositioned for straight sex when you're straight is icky, but gay sex when you're straight is even moreso. And he's right, if that is what he meant.

[Subdivisions]

6. I think you are right that the few tend to represent the whole in

the eyes of society.

Your post is right on the mark. Thanks.

[Demit]

7. Another way to look at it.

Which actually doesn't make your coworkers look any better: in their minds, it's more "normal" to harass young girls, it's kind of all right, wink, wink. After all, they're only girls. Ergo, Foley would just be being a regular guy if the teens he'd been preying on had been young girls.

Ick on your coworkers. They revealed their misogyny along with their homophobia.

[seabeyond]

8. throwing my body in the group hug...... big sigh

ya.......

thanks for sharing your experience

[keepCAblue]

9. Yup...my concerns exactly.

I knew as soon as this scandal broke that people right of center (maybe even some dems as well) would be associating Foley's pedophilia/chickenhawk behavior with gays, much as they did when the former Spokane, WA mayor, James West, was "outed" for his pedophilia.

[goclark]

10. Thanks for your post nt

[marmar]

20. You bet. I felt it needed to be said.

:hi:

[patcox2]

11. Are you implying its bigoted to find homosexual sex distasteful?

Really, what do you want, should everyone be required to get hard when watching homosexual porn?

Isn't that kinda what makes one either homosexual or heterosexual, one's taste in sex?

People are not bigoted, nor troglodytes, nor even in the lower 50% of intelligence simply because they might find the sexual practices themselves of people of another orientation distasteful.

I don't like Nuoc Mam, does that mean I hate all Vietnamese? I gag at the disgusting, horrendous stench of poi, am I anti-Hawaian?

I have met women who find heterosexual fellatio disgusting, are they anti-heterosexual?

Jeeze. Okay, in order to be politically correct, I will have to say "although I find anal sex between men and boys to be a beautiful way to express spiritual and physical love, I am appalled that Congressman Foley attempted to do this with young House pages."

[marmar]

12. I don't think the issue is whether or not you find gay sex "tasteful"

But the linking of homosexuality with perversion....or the linking of black with crime, or Latino with illegal alien, or Arab with terrorist. It's having people always frame you through the negative actions of one person.

[TornadoTN]

14. Preciseley

Personally, I find anything of this nature involving kids to be repugnant, distasteful, and one of the worst offenses that a person can commit, regardless of sexual preference. I think most people feel this way (or at least I certainly hope they do!)

I think what makes this stick out to most people is that the Republicans have made the "Gay" issue one of their trump cards over the past few election cycles. But to have this thrown in the faces of the voting populace is sure to resonate with some, no matter how much damage control is done. First impression is everything and this certainly doesnt bode well for Republicans, no matter what they try to do to smooth it over.

[patcox2]

18. There was a quote from a co-worker.

She said "thats just extra-gross," and I took that to mean he was picturing an act of homosexual sex. And I interpreted the objection of the first poster as an objection to anyone finding homosexual sex acts themselves intrinsicaly disgusting.

I just don't think thats a sign of bigotry. I have dated girls, for example, who found fellatio "disgusting." Many homosexuals do not like anal sex at all. I find it disgusting to think of Anna Nicole Smich having sex with an incontinent 90 year old.

Of course I agree 100% that homosexuality should not be confused with or equated with pedophilia or other aberrant behavior.

I just wouldn't have taken offense at that remark "thats extra gross."

Its a matter of taste.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[patcox2]

17. Got it; judging homosexuals by what some do is bad, but judging catholics

by what some catholics do, thats good.

[TimeChaser]

16. There's a difference...

between finding homosexual sex distasteful and declaring it wrong and perverted.

:eyes:

[AntiFascist]

13. I used to be concerned about this during the Catholic priest pedophile....

scandal. Around that time a local Catholic priest had been convicted of molesting two little girls. It only demonstrated that pedophilia occurs with either sex, and it should not be tolerated either way.

If there is a larger Republican pedophilia scandal lurking below the surface, and I'm sure there is, then it should definitely be uncovered and I doubt that their targets were only young boys. I believe this was also demonstrated in the Franklin scandal. If we give in to fear-mongering then we might as well let the B*sh mafia do whatever the hell it wants.