Well, no surprise, in turns out that in the twisted universe of the Evangelical demonsphere, a tweaker is not so bad as being gay. Haggard admits he bought the meth, but he did not snort. Pastor Ted is in so much trouble, he can’t even think of an original lie.

In particular I remember one radio preacher, Garner Ted Armstrong, who was ubiquitous on the AM radio dial in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. With his voice he reminded me of the character Professor Harold Hill, played by Robert Preston, in the Music Man, which I loved to listen to when I was a kid. (I loved the musical selections from the Music Man when I was a kid; it would be later that I would come to understand the plot and the characters.)

(Greg/Steve, if you think I’ve stepped over the line, feel free to delete this.)

For us “regular” queers, those of us who work hard at regular jobs, volunteer in our communities, and just try to live in peace with our families, it’s an embarrassment. Once in a discussion years ago with my best friend, a gay man, about why lesbians chose to be defined by that term and not the generic “gay”, I opined it was because we didn’t want to share the “promiscuity” label. He said then that the difference between men and women, whether gay or straight, is that women usually need a reason for making love, and men just need a place for sex. Personally, I’m glad the hypocrisy was revealed, but it does make it tough for those of us in small towns across the country. Just when it seems like we’re gaining acceptance (especially those like myself and my partner, who don’t go out of our way to advertise it, but you don’t need a road map to figure it out) some maladjusted self-loathing closet case does something stupidly abhorrent and everybody starts looking at you weird for a while and protectively pushing their children behind them if they have to speak to you.

Haggard even insisted to the media he had not been unfaithful to his wife, and in the weird logic of Republican wingnuts, he thinks he’s telling the truth because he didn’t sleep with another woman. I’ve been told that in the Latin community, where homosexuality is an even bigger tabu than in many cultures, men believe that if they’re the top, then that doesn’t make them gay because it’s the dominant position, proving yet again the stretches of logic humans will go to in rationalizing behavior that doesn’t conform to societal dictates, or that which takes place during Skull & Bones initiations.

Maybe that’s why Jeff Gannon was so welcome at the White House. Maybe Bushie and his band of merry men have never felt as manly with a woman as they do when sticking it to another man. It’s about power, not sex. The orgasm is just the bonus.

I don’t give a rat’s ass where Haggard dips his wick. That’s his business. But when he starts preaching to a 14,000 parishioners about the evils in which he privately delights, and cheerleads for legislation cementing our status as second class citizens, then it becomes not only political but intensely personal,
whether or not you’re a resident of Colorado.

Mike Jones says he agonized over his decision to come forward, and that he’s sorry Haggard’s wife and kiddies have to go through this experience. He also said he wishes Haggard no ill will.

That’s exponentially more gracious than I’d have been. But it certainly gives new meaning to turning the other cheek!

The GOP ship is sinking faster than the Titanic…