The recent political turmoil surrounding Senator Larry Craig of Idaho highlights the hypocrisy that pervades our Government and our society. Caught in an apparent act of homosexual solicitation, Craig became an immediate embarrassment for his colleagues in the Right Wing of the Republican Party, the bastion of intolerance. The Senator did not kidnap or rape anyone and he did not solicit a minor. Rather, frustrated by his own repressed urges, Craig was seeking a brief, clandestine encounter. As one who led a crusade against homosexual rights and spearheaded the attempt to impeach President Clinton for his sexual affair, this staunch Conservative could not risk a more open homosexual relationship.
The Christian Conservatives of America pride themselves for their protection of family values. Yet, time and again, we find that they are just as human as the rest of us. Homosexuality is an inborn trait, not an irresponsible choice. We cannot abolish it with laws and self-righteous political organizations. Scientific studies have shown that 10-15% of humans are homosexual or bisexual and we are all aware of the high rate of heterosexual infidelity. Members of the Christian Right are just as likely to be gay or to have extramarital affairs as the rest of society; those who are most openly intolerant are most likely to have something to hide.
