This is a relatively short diary, but I haven't seen this specifically brought up yet. If it has been, my sincerest appologies, because I just didn't see it. I know that the GOP has a group of attorneys in their hip pockets...you know, to argue that torture is constitutional, to try to validate invalid elections, to advise the president on how to break the law without consequence, and now to represent congressional reps who commit federal crimes. And of course, these lawyers have all been well trained by the right-wing noise machine, and they are quite adept at not only defending their clients, but doing so while also spreading the latest GOP talking points. I believe that this press conference today was just as much about spreading a new narative of the Repubs as it was about defending Foley's actions.
What I am specifically referring to is the fact that they decisively outed him as gay. I have heard this piece of trash hinted at and woven into the discussion by just about every right wing thug pundit for the last four days. The fact is, BEING GAY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS FUCKING CASE!!! Foley's actions would have been just as inappropriate had he been targetting young girls. I'm not gay, but I was a music major in college, and volunteered in the theater department quite often, so I have known many gay men and women. The advantage of that is that you really do learn that they are regular people who want most of the same things out of life that you do. And having had that experience makes me all the more angry when I see the gay community being scapegoated for political gain by this group of hypocritical assholes.
I believe that the reason that the Republicans are trying so dilligently to insert Foley's sexual orientation into this debate is because they believe that regardless of what happens, they can tie homosexuality to Pedophilia, and then use the gay card to motivate people against Democrats. This is a terrible disservice to the gay community....being attracted to someone of the opposite sex and being attracted to children are two very different things, and for the republicans to try to link the two is almost even beneath them. I hope with all I have (although I won't hold my breath) that democrats will attack this assertion with incredible vigor. Decent, hard-working, law-abiding, american citizens who happen to be gay do NOT deserve to be dragged into a group with Representative Foley. I would ask that the Daily Kos community start raising some hell in a major way about this both to the public, and to your own representatives in the House & Senate. Thanks for listening.