…an excuse to talk about you know who and his you know what. From the Wall Street Journal‘s James Taranto:
“Unlike homosexuality, heterosexuality is amenable to therapeutic remedies—or so Anthony Weiner and his fellow House Democrats would like us to believe.”
Read it here.
12 Comments for “Not Really a Gay Angle, But…”
posted by JohnAGJ on
I’m not seeing the connection here. Even Weiner is claiming to have a problem, I presume sex addiction, not that his behavior is all attributable to his being heterosexual. The claim by some on the anti-gay side is that homosexuality itself can be “changed” into heterosexuality, thanks to that wizz-bang reparative therapy stuff. Weiner’s a lying, cheating bastard who should definitely resign IMO but his sexual orientation doesn’t have anything to do with this. Being straight doesn’t make one prone to cheat on their spouses or act like very immature teenage boys by sending “crotch shots” to pretty girls they like. Gay men are capable of just as much stupidity as well – and many have shown this time after time. I get that Taranto is trying to tweak inconsistent thinking on the left but this one just doesn’t hold water.
posted by Houndentenor on
This is stupid. Actually I don’t think Weiner is seeking any kind of cure at all. He’s doing the “therapy as mea culpa” routine that many before him have done. Rehab cures all ills in the 21st century or so it would seem. Weiner is NOT seeking to be cured of heterosexuality. One assumes the treatment would be for sexual compulsive behavior (something that can affect gay, straight or bi). I have known gay men who attended therapy for this (and needed to). This has no correlation to the quacker of “reparative” therapy.
posted by Jorge on
Okay, interesting. I don’t agree with the author. Look, the guy did something a married man should not be doing, and it couldn’t possibly be clearer that it’s all on him. Fine, make the frightening reparative therapy comparison, I personally think if you have urges you don’t like, there’s nothing wrong with getting some support. Why did he do this? Are there whens and wheres about his activities that can be attacked and eliminated? What should he do or think when he’s in a risky situation? Let Anthony Weiner talk to a therapist and arm himself with the tools he’ll need to do the right thing.
posted by Houndentenor on
“something a married guy shouldn’t be doing”?
His wife doesn’t care. Why should I?
posted by Jorge on
His wife doesn’t care
That’s even worse.
posted by another steve on
His wife doesn’t care. Why should I?
On what basis do you think his wife doesn’t care (and really, how could she not?). She was a no show at his resignation speech.
But seriously, he lied to his constiuents, claiming his Twitter account had been hacked, and then kept on lying until he couldn’t lie any more.
I mean, just what would a leftwing Democrat have to do for you to stop supporting them?
posted by Hounentenor on
I believe his wife isn’t there because she’s out of the country on State Department business. I could be wrong. I wouldn’t wish that political wife “stand by your man” routine on anyone. She has made statements that she knew about this little habit of his before they got married. Again, it’s not that I approve (or disapprove) but that it’s a personal matter and has nothing to do with him doing his job.
posted by JohnInNM on
Failure to do their job, be a biggotted scumbag, so-on.
Infidelity? That’s personal business, and so long as it’s not *hypocritical* personal business, I don’t care.
That is, unless Wiener was a big “family values” advocate, his relationship with his wife isn’t our business.
posted by another steve on
So you “don’t care” that he lied to his constituents, and keep on lying until he couldn’t lie any more? Boy, you Democrats sure have low standards for your team.
posted by JohnInNM on
I’m sorry, but lying about sex and lying about anything important are two different beasts. One matters. The other… not so much. That and it’s a catch-22 question. Screwed if he does, screwed if he doesn’t, and all over something that’s so unimportant?
So yeah. He lied. And I don’t care. And by the last poll I saw of NY, his constituents didn’t either.
posted by Houndentenor on
I’m not in Weiner’s district. I have no say in whether or not he is re-elected. If they choose to oust him, that is their right. But as he has not been charged with a crime, I don’t see why he should resign.
You want to pretend this is partisan. I don’t care about Schwartzenegger’s affair an love child either. I am not saying I approve. I’m only saying that it’s a personal matter and none of my business. Call me when he is indicted on criminal charges of some kind.
And…so long as David Vitter, who used to make calls from the Senate Floor to his madam to arrange meetings with prostitutes, don’t talk to me about morality and partisanship.
posted by Jorge on
You know, I’d never even heard of David Vitter until people tried to play that pitiful excuse for a hypocrisy card.