Double Dalk

[crowwitch]

I'm following the Jim West scandal.

1. If he did what he is being accused of, then he is a dirty bastard, yes.

2. However, he has NOT received due process. Everyone in Spokane (Yes, I do live in Spokane, in fact.) knows that the Spokesman Review is a rag. No one has given him the benefit of the doubt on this. It's practically illegal.

3. I believe that were he straight and this scandal had involved young women and not young men, this would not be the crisis it has become.

4. Self-loathing pisses me off. However, I think it's tragic. Some people have been lead to believe so much that gays are immoral, that if they discover that they are gay that they do not feel obligated to behave in a moral way. This is sad.

5. The Today Show interview: Paraphrase, not exact quote on the subject of being gay and voting against gay rights bills: I was hired to vote the way my colleges wanted me to. If you hire someone to paint your house blue but they think it should be red, what color should they paint your house?

Two seconds later:

I am not a closet liberal pretending to be a conservative. Gay people can be conservative. Black people can be conservative.

Huh... Blink.... didn't he basically just say "Don't blame me, I was just following orders. Of course... I did agree with those orders."



Asswhipe.

Comments

[joeyfalconetti.livejournal.com]

well, I may not have liked Mr.West as a mayor, but I think it's pretty scary that he might get knocked out of office based simply on accusations. They say it's better for the city if he leaves, but I don't think that this sends a good message as far as our political process goes. Besides, we are talking about ruining an individual's life. If he's booted now, he will forever be guilty in everyon's eyes.

and, yeah, I am kind of feeling the homophobic yuck. Considering the fact that all he has admitted to (and all that has been covered on some national TV shows, such as the Daily Show) is that fact that he had consensual sexual contact with other dudes....well, what is he really being driven out of office for?

then again, he did try to block gay people from working at day cares and schools...so, I guess there's a bit of karma biting him in the ass on that one...

but it still makes me feel a little threatened. The Spokesman hasn't made a good distinction in their articles between the gay issue and the molesting-children-and-bribing-young-men-with-internships-alleged-sliminess.


*siiiiigh*

[darlingfreak.livejournal.com]

You're exactly right.

My favorite quote from an editorial the Inlander actually printed!

"I think mayor west should resign now that he's gone gay. I mean, I'm not homophobic or anything, I just really hate those guys."

[cscottd.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry but anyone who starts a sentence with "I'm not homophobic" (or, for that matter, "I'm not racist" or "I'm not misogynistic") and then goes on to say how much they hate a group of people, obviously just doesn't want people to think they're homophobic (or racist, etc).

It's the problem I have with the whole we-need-to-look-PC thing that so many politicians and businesses seem to be doing lately. They want to make a big public show of how enlightened and tolerant they are, while at the same time carrying on with the very same hate-based behaviour they've always done.

Grrrrr.

Anyway, sorry for ranting in your journal. :)

[darlingfreak.livejournal.com]

Go right ahead. That's what I do in it. ;-)


Icon Love

[talamh-sidhe.livejournal.com]

here's my thoughts on the subject (as a big ass seattle liberal even):

1. Okay, he went off with young men. S'okay. At least he waited until they were 18. No biggie.

2. Okay, he lied about it. Again, no biggie. If you were republican, would you want that out in the open? I didn't think so.

3. He voted against gay rights. Okay, I'm really on his side for this one. His *job* is to represent the people of Spokane. Generally, they fall into the "homophobe" category. Even though I think it's wrong wrong wrong, he was *right* in representing his constituency. It sucks and goes against what I think it should be, but that's politics.

4. He offered a kid or two an internship. Okay, back the dating perks bus up here. This is where he stepped over the line. Should he be punished for this (and only this)? Yeah, I think so. Should he resign (or be forced to resign)? No. Businessmen and other politicians do this all the frickin time. See The Washingtonienne. The only reason this got any press (let alone *national* press), is because the kids were male. Total BS, but he shouldn't have offered them internships. That's my view at least.

Alright, enough ranting from me. Hugs!

[darlingfreak.livejournal.com]

Bush lies about weapons of mass distruction and why we go to war.

Fine. Get those damn sand niggers! Good bless the usa! Remember 9/11! (even thoguh iraq's al queta ties are about as valed as the WMD claims)

Clinton/West have *gasp* SEX! Get them out of office!

I hate America.

Let's run away and be lesbians in Austraila.

[talamh-sidhe.livejournal.com]

okay, I shouldn't have said the lying wasn't a big deal, but honestly, this is his *personal life*, not something that will actually affect the people of Spokane (except giving them something to gossip about).

I keep seeing all of these "god bless america" bumper stickers, and I'm getting sick of them. I want to make one that says "My God doesn't play favorites". :)

[darkover-exile.livejournal.com]

OK, sorry, here from the cat lovers comm. :) You live in Spokane!!?? That's where hal my family is from (the other half from Yakima) I'm stuck in AL right now, but I loved Spokane when I used to visit every summer. (My grandpa had a house on Dawn Rd. it's still in the family.)

You seem really cool Mind if I friend you?

[darlingfreak.livejournal.com]

Hi, nice to see you.

Sure, I'm going to go ahead and friend you too. :-)

Can never have too many friends.

Spokane is OK but once you've lived here for a few years it gets old really quick. I'm trying to make it over to seattle in the next couple years.

That's just me though... we have a lot of great buildings. If you haven't been to the davenport go next time you visit. It's so gorgeous.