The big national news this week in the U. S. was the ongoing debacle of Mark Foley and the reeling but still struggling Republican leadership. The media is now highlighting the debate over whether the Foley case is a “gay issue.” My take is that it shouldn’t be a “gay issue,” but it is. The LGBT community is being forced to respond to the usual slew of homophobic drivel that follows such events. Since the case is all over the media, though, I won’t add any more links to major news channels. Instead, I’ll point to Terrance at Republic of T, who has a thoughtful analysis on the reaction of the black community to the scandal, and the lingering influence of historical black stereotypes. It’s a refreshing, if sobering, look at the Foley crisis and other matters of prejudice. (Terrance has actually written a number of posts on Foley, all of which are worth reading.)
Since this is a parenting blog, though, I want to make sure to acknowledge both the pages whom Foley abused and their parents. The parents of the page whose e-mails from Foley started the scandal have asked for privacy and said that they feel Representative Rodney Alexander (R-LA), their son’s sponsor, handled the matter “beyond reproach.” In a prepared statement, they said:
We asked him to see that Congressman Foley stop e-mailing or contacting our son and to otherwise drop the matter in order to avoid a media frenzy. He did so. If we had had any other knowledge or evidence of potential impropriety, we would have asked for the matter to be treated differently. . . . As a young man with integrity who had the courage to question the intention of the e-mails, we respect and honor our son as a hero.
It’s easy for me to sit here and say that if anyone harassed or abused my child, I would do everything in my capacity to make sure they were driven out of power. At the same time, I can also understand wanting to focus on healing my child and maintaining family privacy. I have to respect the wishes of each page’s family, whatever they choose. As a fellow parent, however, I can redouble my efforts on their behalf to ensure Foley and those who covered up his actions get the punishment they deserve.
In other news this week:
- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a measure allowing registered domestic partners to file joint tax returns and have their earned income treated as community property for state tax purposes.
- The California Court of Appeal ruled that California may continue to ban same-sex marriage unless the legislature passes a law to the contrary. This was already tried once before, in a bill that passed the state Legislature but was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger, who wanted the courts to decide. This week’s 2-1 decision will be appealed to the California Supreme Court, but the verdict could take “years“.
- New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, in contrast to Schwarzenegger, says he will not sign legislation to ban same-sex marriage if the state Supreme Court finds it legal. The New Jersey ruling will occur before October 25.
And outside the U. S.:
- Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper says his government has no plans for legislation to protect officials and churches that refuse to perform same-sex marriages.
- Slovenia began registering civil partnerships for same-sex couples, although 365Gay reports that the first couple to register found the ceremony “cold and without feeling,” since couples are not allowed to have guests present.
- In Great Britain, some are criticizing Conservative leader David Cameron for his past support of legislation to ban the “promotion of homosexuality” in schools, in essence voting to maintain the (now abolished) “Section 28” legislation that banned its promotion by any local authority. More recently, he said he was glad that such legislation was gone, and his spokeswoman said: “Keeping Section 28 was in the 2001 Tory manifesto. He voted in line with the Conservative view at the time.”
Finally, if you’re tired of all the right-wing nonsense that has been in the media of late, have a read of the Box Turtle Bulletin’s The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing the Myths. It’s a great, intelligent piece of satire, modeled on the many “Homosexual Agenda” pamphlets generated by the right.