TexProdigy

Pimping Gannon

Via Atrios…

Chris Crain, the editor of the Washington Blade, writes about Jim Guckert (better known as Jeff Gannon) “…many of his loudest critics represent a much more serious obstacle to the success of the gay rights movement.” Crain continues, “Gannon, of course, made headlines earlier this year after a softball question he asked President Bush at a press briefing led members of the White House press corps to do some digging into his background.”

For the record, Gannon did not just lob that softball question. He lobbed many. He was Scott McClellan’s go-to guy when the White House press corps questions became too tough to answer. After some digging, John Aravosis of AmericaBlog.com discovered that Jeff Gannon was indeed Jim Guckert (aka Bulldog). He was a male escort. Not only that, it seems that Jim/Jeff avoided paying taxes in Delaware.

Crain then fibs about what then happened: “Gannon largely evaded questions about the claim, suggesting he merely owned the sites or provided web consultation services.” Initially, Jim/Jeff did not simply evade questions about the claim; he tried to say that he was not in the pictures. When the evidence was irrefutable, he then was coy when asked questions about his escorting job and sexuality. He claimed neither was relevant to him being a reporter.

The Washington Blade even joined in on reporting on Jim/Jeff when they reported “in February that he attended a gay sex party in Virginia.”

It seems that now that Jim/Jeff is working for the Washington Blade, Crain feels obligated to defend him. Crain feels that those attacking Jim/Jeff are now also attacking the Washington Blade for carrying his columns. Crain writes, “…but most unleashed more anger at the messenger than the message.” Crain, who once attacked Jim/Jeff is now defending him. Crain is such a hypocrite.

Finally, Crain writes, “For that reason, the intolerance of the loudest voices on the gay left is a greater threat to our movement than a few lonely voices on the gay right.”

Crain is simply wrong. As comedian Bruce Davidson said, “A gay Republican is like a Black member of the KKK or a Jewish member of the Nazi party.” Why shill for a group of people who think you are an abomination? Why throw in with a group of people that includes people like Phyllis Schlafley, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and others on the religious right who, at the least, would want to deny you rights? In the extreme, those on the religious right would like to have all gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, transgendered, and intersexed people exterminated.

So, are people like John Aravosis and other “gay liberals” who shine the light of truth on the hypocrisy of those like Cris Crain and Jim/Jeff wrong? No. Crain, Jim/Jeff, and those like them are enablers of the conservative right - the group that wants to deny the GLBT community the same, equal (not special) rights that every other American enjoys.