PREOCCUPATIONS

For anyone who doubts that sex and violence sells, just look at the top two stories of this past week: school shootings and Mark Foley. The latter has to be one of the most absurd acts of political theater I've witnessed since the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. Its a wonder why the Democrats are even bothering to weigh in. They should just hit the sideline, pass the popcorn and Red Vines and watch the GOP stumble over themselves to try to enact some damage control.

One of my favorite moments in this regard came today on All Things Considered when Michele Norris interviewed Paul Weyrich of the Arlington Group, a conservative organization that's asking for Speaker of the House Hastert to resign. Here's what Weyrich had to say:

PW: "It has been known for many years that Foley was a homosexual. Homosexuals tend to be preoccupied with sex. The idea that he should be continued as chairman of the Committee on Missing and Exploited Children, given their knowledge on that is just outrageous."

MN: "I think there are quite a few people who would take exception to your statement that homosexuals are preoccupied with sex."

PW: "Well, I don't care if they take exception to it, it happens to be true."

MN: "That is your opinion."

PW: "It's not my opinion, it's the opinion of many psychiatrists and psychologists who have to deal with them."

Ah...ok, so homosexuals are preoccupied with sex but heterosexuals are not? Has Weyrich not, you know, turned on a television, opened a magazine, turned on the radio, seen a movie, surfed the internet lately? Has he not walked out into the street?

There's so much crazy out there right now. And just four weeks from the midterm elections.



By the way, speaking of NPR, here's Marc Acito on why gays aren't rushing to embrace their new brother
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--O.W.