I've decided not to accept Mark Foley's coming out without proof

[jmowreader]

When Mark Foley resigned from Congress through a spokesman, the last sentence in the statement was "Mark Foley wants you to know he is a gay man."

Hmm...should we accept that at face value? I think not.

About 95,000 people have registered on this website since Skinner, EarlG and Elad founded it. Let's delete the people who died, were tombstoned, left for other reasons or had multiple accounts and say there are 75,000 DUers. (Stay with me here.)

Now, how many Americans are actually gay? Although accurate numbers are impossible to produce, I've heard estimates that range from one percent (Wildmon) to ten percent (Kinsey) of the total population. If we assume that, due to the gay-friendly nature of this place, our gay population is double that of the general population, we have anywhere from 1500 to 15,000 gays on this board.

Let's just pull a number out of the air and say we've got 7500 persons with atypical sexuality--to include gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transsexuals and asexuals--on Democratic Underground.

Now! Of these 7500 atypicals, I feel it's safe to assume that almost none, or absolutely none, of them have ever molested a minor. Especially a minor they were in a position of authority over. I know some atypicals like having sex with children...but it's not common.

I bring this up because I feel that The Republican Base thinks all gays sexually abuse minors. Obviously, if Foley was bending pages over it was because he was an Evil Gay Man and not just a sexual predator abusing his position of trust. When more of the sexual predators in the GOP come out of the woodwork, as you know they will, expect all of them to start screaming that they're gays.

As for this Foley guy: He claims to be gay. Let's have some proof. I want to see:

* a receipt for some mauve or puce paint
* his Barbra Streisand record collection
* ticket stubs from at least five bathhouses
* at least three pair of leather pants
* a home video of him singing "In The Navy" at Karaoke night
* the toaster oven he got for turning six straight people gay
* proof of his Advocate subscription--and NOT one he took out last week!
* a gallon jug of Astroglide
* LOTS of Hilfiger in the closet, and a drawer full of Calvin Klein jockeys

I think Foley's just trying to placate The Base. If he's gay, he can prove it.

[Danieljay]

1. Interesting. Most predators don't identify as gay... I'm not sure why

it was relevant for his attorney to make that last statement "and Mark Foley wants you to know he's a gay man". I've wondered the intention of that statement since the beginning.

[mzteris]

2. It's pretty well established that he's gay

The fact that he's gay and likes them YOUNG - is no different than a het man liking them YOUNG.

They're both immoral and WRONG, of course - but being gay doesn't let him off the hook for poor judgement.

FYI - most true pedophiles seem to oriented sexually as hetero in their "adult" relationships.

Also fyi - Foley isn't a pedophile as these guys were all "sexually mature" males - not children.

[BlooInBloo]

5. (shrug) It was also pretty well established that Saddam had...

... in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons.

Shows what "pretty well established" gets you.

[ellenfl]

3. his sexual orientation has been an open secret here for years.

i doubt you will find any of his constituency or neighbors who are surprised by the admission. however, that has NOTHING to do with what he is alleged to have done (what i have no doubt he has done). being gay does not make anyone a pedophile any more than being alcoholic does.

i don't know why his attorney outed him. it made no sense to me because i know, and i'm sure he knows, that the claim has nothing to do with that of which he is accused. my guess is that they were just trying to muddy the waters.

i'm surprised the anti-gay bush base hasn't been louder conflating the deed and foley's sexuality. i can't believe that was foley's intent but, he IS a no-holds-barred republican.

ellen fl

[demwing]

4. I followed you until this line:

"Of these 7500 atypicals, I feel it's safe to assume that almost none, or absolutely none, of them have ever molested a minor."

On what do you base this assumption? Why do you feel your assumption is "safe"?

I agree with your overall point. But I disagree with your assumption that Dems are somehow less likely than anyone else to engage in any activity (good or bad), unless your talking about voting habits.

Thats dangerous.

[maddezmom]

6. locking

The use of stereotypes in the OP is against DU rules:

When discussing race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or other highly-sensitive personal issues, please exercise the appropriate level of sensitivity toward others and take extra care to clearly express your point of view.