Outing making a comeback

[yesthattom]

http://web.morons.org/article.jsp?sectionid=8&id=5364
Someone has begun outing homosexual politicans that run on anti-gay platforms. It's like the late 80's again. And just like in the late 80's, I have to say that outing is a punishment only deserved by public officials that are openly anti-gay; and then should be done to the fullest extent.
http://www.DearMary.com

Comments

[sweh.livejournal.com]

How much of that was "outing" and how much was merely connecting the dots of publicly available information? If the latter then I see no problem; if the first then there's a big consent issue here. No matter how hypocritical a person may be, this is not a reason for outing them.

[freeko.livejournal.com]

I feel uncomfortable outing those that have a reason to be not wanting to be outed. that being said, when you promote an anti-gay agenda you fucking deserve to be exposed for the hypocrite that you are!

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

BEST REPLY EVAH

[freeko.livejournal.com]

I am at the point where I feel the republiKKKans are not deserving of any mercy. They want to demonize liberals? Well lets demonize conservatives and call them Nazi's because they are acting like nazi's. The time for being civil and polite is over. To stand aside is to take sides and to not talk about it and avoid discussions of politics at parties and gatherings is to be complicit allowing it to continue.This is a time to be rude, cross boundaries and stomp all over them! Fuck Em! Thats what I say! Fuck George W. Bush! Fuck John Ashcroft, Fuck Dick Cheney, Fuck Donald Rumsfeld. Fuck Rush Limbaugh, Fuck Sean Hannity, Fuck Bill O'Reilly. Fuck em all! They gotta go! They need to be downsized!

[jss]

I wouldn't fuck any of those people even with yesthattom's dick.

With a poisoned rusty hand-cranked chainsaw, maybe.

[holzman.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I can't limit that to public officials. Any person who actively works to oppress a community has no claim on the protections of that community, including the protection of secrecy.

[cpj.livejournal.com]

I don't support public outing. If the group DearMary can validate their reasons to justify outing others, then what is to stop groups like the Christian Coalition from publicly outing someone.

Being out is about being proud about who you are, and expressing it publically. However, being closeted does not necessarily mean you don't have pride. A lot of people are closeted because they have no choice. They may serve in the armed forces, or some personal situation may require them to be silent.

That being said, I will say that I don't have any pity or respect someone that would sell their own down the river. You can still get your message across without outing them. Avoid them in bars, boycott their businesses, turn down all forms of contact.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

I think it's horrible that some closeted gays would support anti-gay actions or legislation.

I think it's more horrible that anyone would out them if they don't desire to be outted.

Evil actions on someone else's part does not make it right for you to do evil actions yourself. One is not governed by playground rules. "He did it first!" is not an acceptible reason to do an action.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

Evil actions on someone else's part does not make it right for you to do evil actions yourself.

Yes it does. You are wrong. Thank you.

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

I am deeply saddened to see you say so.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

I'm sick of people claiming to be liberals being so wimpy about obvious things. Liberals should be fighters on the issues they believe in. We believe that someone promoting a hateful, anti-gay agenda in Congress is bad, yet we aren't willing to call them on the carpet for it? That's bullshit.

[syringavulgaris.livejournal.com]

Anyone, regardless of orientation or closet status, who promotes a hateful, anti-gay agenda should be called on the carpet for it. That is a completely separate matter from engaging upon a course of behavior that you would find reprehensible were it done to someone not promoting such an agenda.

It's not a measured response, it's not a useful response, it's not a necessary response. It covers everyone on both sides in muck. I see no good that will come out of it, and much harm.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

I see no good that will come out of it, and much harm.

Really? No good?

There are only three cases of it actually happening in national American politics. All three had excellent outcomes. Barney, Gunderson and Kolbe came into the cause. They were dragged out, but now they're some of our most vocal advocates.

If it was 1 out of 3, or 2 out of 3, then you might have a chance of convincing me. However, it's 3 out of 3 success stories.

Roy Cohen, on the other hand, was not outed until after his death. Imagine if his last 10 years were spent fighting for our side? Imagine the powerful statement it would have made?

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

Frank came out of his own volition. He lost a lot of weight and got a spiffier wardrobe in preparation, because he wanted to be more of a role model.

Cohen was outed repeatedly over the course of his career. By the end, he was tacitly acknowledging he had fucked men, but refused to classify himself as a homosexual because wanted to feel superior to what he saw as the people who did so identify.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

Wow.

I honestly can't believe you'd say such a thing as that.

No one's sexuality should have anything to do with how they vote or act. Everyone should be free from the sexual harassment you approve of. If it shouldn't have mattered where Clinton placed his dick, why should it matter where anyone else has?

Below, you say:

"I'm sick of people claiming to be liberals being so wimpy about obvious things. Liberals should be fighters on the issues they believe in. We believe that someone promoting a hateful, anti-gay agenda in Congress is bad, yet we aren't willing to call them on the carpet for it? That's bullshit."

And that's fine in principle, but the methodology you are espousing is vile and cruel and... makes you look just like the Republicans you despise.

Sure, go after people who are promoting an anti-gay agenda. Go after their politics, and their reasoning, and the issues they are promoting. But sexually harassing them is just Plain Wrong.

I now assume that you also think that people in the Democratic party should break into campaign offices, or fix elections.

Because that's certainly what you're saying.

And you know, it doesn't even matter if "good comes out of the end of it." The ends do not justify the means.

I do hope you take a hard look at this, and think about what you're saying and proposing.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

You're missing the point.

The point is about pointing out hypocrisy. Breaking into offices is not pointing out hypocrisy.

And I'm not proposing anything. I'm commenting on what's happenings. Open your eyes. Read www.dearmary.com.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

Frank was outed by Republicans and now changes his story claiming it was voluntary. Every article (including the one being quoted that started this always refers to him "claiming" to be out voluntarily.

[yesthattom.livejournal.com]

...and Cohen wasn't an elected official as far as I know.