Pederasty and Cover Ups

Rep. Mark Foley has resigned when it came to light that he was sending creepy unsolicited emails to pages in the House, apparently attempting to play out his homosexual fantasies of having it away with these teen-aged boys.

At the same time he was chair of a House committee on the exploitation of children.

Even though it appears that his conduct was limited to his sordid emails, his stupidity and hypocrisy mean that he must go.

As much as I despise the committee chairs the Democrats will bring with them, and detest the idea of a Speaker Pelosi, based on what I know, Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Boehner should resign their leadership positions as well, because they knew what was going on and did nothing for a year, whether to protect the majority or out of mistaken sympathy for a colleague. Here's the usually pro-GOP Captain's Quarters on who knew what when. Apparently Hastert did know and lied about it.

Democrats have done worse. Barney Frank's live in was conducting a homosexual prostitution business from Frank's apartment, and Gary Studds was having it off with a page and got away with a censure, after which he kept getting reelected.

But that was then and this is now. My father always used to say "The worst kind of thief is a pious thief." This is the party that claims to defend traditional values and morality, and is hostile to homosexuality at least when marriage is concerned. And here's a gay man with an uncontrolled passion for boys heading an effort against the exploitation of children, and the leadership covers it up.

For the same reason, the penchant of many clergy (and not just Roman Catholics) for sex with boys is particularly shameful. It's an abuse of a sacred trust, worse than the garden-variety sexual sins that most of us commit.

What will not be said is that the increased acceptance of homosexuality comes at a price. It is taboo even to intimate that there is sometimes a connection between the homosexual orientation of some and the abuse of boys and young men. (Not that heterosexual men aren't also prone to exploiting girls). Of course, many male homosexuals are circumspect, law-abiding, and would never transgress in this way; others, however, are not, but the issue is not discussed frankly. It has long been my view that government should keep its nose out of their private adult conduct, and leave the matter at that. Because the issue has been draped with the mantle of civil rights, and is fodder for a "movement," with its scribblers, marchers, and lawyers, an effort has been made to impose political correctness on the subject.

It's ok to beat the GOP over the head with the Foley episode, but many would make any wider-ranging discussion taboo. It shouldn't be.

Meanwhile, Denny Hastert must go.