DON'T GO THERE!

Larry Craig announced loudly and proudly yesterday that he is not gay and that he never has been gay. He asked that American citizens and particularly Ohio voters consider his years of public service before judging him for his recent arrest and guilty plea. I always get a chuckle (followed by a violent gritting of teeth) when an elected official facing criminal charges for misconduct reminds the news cameras of their 'years of public service' when judging their actions or supposed actions. 'Public service'? Really? Senators are paid quite well, live pretty high on the hog, receive perks and benefits rivalled only by fortune 500 company CEO's, and only work a fraction of the days that a 'real' American works. 'Public Service'? Gimmee a break! A 'public servant' is anyone who volunteers their time for a non-profit organization; someone who spends their evenings serving at a soup kitchen, for example. As an ex-teacher myself, I wouldn't even consider them to be a 'public servant'. But they certainly would be a hell of a lot closer to one than a Senator in my book! And what's with the need to declare loud and proud that you are not, nor ever have been, gay? Does being straight make you a better person? What gender the person is with whom you decide to get it on does not make one iota of difference as to the quality of person you are. But who you choose to publicly distance yourself from in a defiant manner does say quite a bit about what your values are. The official police report of Larry Craig's arrest is here.