Senator Ashburn says he's gay after DUI arrest

[The Straight Story]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Republican state Sen. Roy Ashburn of Bakersfield says he is gay.

The conservative lawmaker came out Monday on KERN radio in Bakersfield, saying he felt compelled to address rumors that he had visited a gay nightclub near the Capitol before his arrest last week for driving under the influence.

The 55-year-old father of four says he broke the law, putting people at risk, so he owes the public an explanation.

Ashburn has consistently voted against gay rights measures since he was elected to the state Assembly in 1996.

He has said those votes reflected the way constituents in his district wanted him to vote.

http://www.news10.net/news/story.aspx?storyid=76785&catid=2

[dmallind]

1. Ya know this is the problem

I keep hearing constantly that we should not postulate on the latent (or even simply concealed) homosexuality of particularly vehement anti-gay politicians because it somehow denigrates gays. I sort of see the point, although personally I only agree when people are accusing/insultung them by voicing that possibility, as opposed to simply considering the option based on precedent and analog, which to me is fine. It gets much harder to make this argument though every damn time it turns out to be true. I mean why does this happen so relatively frequently? If we take the basic assumption that about 5-10% of men could at least be considered actively bisexual, and assume that only maybe 1/4 of elected officials and media pundits are virulently and loudly anti-gay, shouldn't it be very rare that these outings occur?

[pretzel4gore]

3. pro family is really anti family!

the reactionary right is a political diseased gang of societal enemies agents, in control of the nation's business and news media. They've always used human nature (our selfish greedy self serving ignorance and stupidity) against us simply by loudly claiming to be patriotic, for lawn order/good government, the honest brokers, the fair and balanced; hard on crime. It was a con when the reactionary Cain murdered the liberal Abel to hide his thefts and sexual perversities, which Abel knew of (and was willing to forgive, unfortunately)....iow, our best advocate against the hatefilled reactionary right is their own phony claims to righteousness/christianity, etc. when the record proves they're plain evil. The libleft is too honourable to evoke Jesus' name to counter them evil devils, but we shouldn't be....so let's roll!

[kestrel91316]

2. All I can say is, his poor wife and kids. What a fraud.

[old mark]

4. It's not about his being gay or not - it's about his lying about it to everyone

including his own family, and persecuting other gay people for his political gain.
He is a hypocrite and a poor human being, no matter what his orientation.

mark

[yellerpup]

5. Exactly.

Well said.

[BrklynLiberal]

6. That is the part of these stories that are so infuriating..the HYPOCRISY, the outright

EVIL HYPOCRISY of those that fight with vehemence against what they themselves are....and in the process hurt so many innocent bystanders, including their own families.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[Chulanowa]

8. Well, maybe now he's out i nthe open, he'll come around to some common-sense realizations

And maybe an interdimensional elephant will fly out of my ass.

Anything is possible.