FoleyFest continues. Having failed with the “well, Bill Clinton did it too” defense, we now find Focus on the Family taking a new tack (HT Talking Points Memo):
Colorado Springs, Colo. — Focus on the Family Action Senior Vice President of Government and Public Policy Tom Minnery issued the following statement today about the scandal involving ex-Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla:
“This is not a time to be talking about politics, but about the well-being of those boys who appear to have been victimized by Rep. Foley. If he is indeed guilty of what he is accused of, it is right that he resigned and that authorities are looking into whether criminal charges are warranted.
“This is yet another sad example of our society’s oversexualization, especially as it affects the Internet, and the damage it does to all who get caught in its grasp.”
Something I have learned: When someone says, “This is not a time to be talking about politics,” that means it’s an excellent time to do just that. Oh, and check out the internet-made-him-do-it defense. Damn internet! This is almost too good.
brian stouder said on October 2, 2006 at 9:40 pm
When someone says, “This is not a time to be talking about politics,�? that means it’s an excellent time to do just that. Oh, and check out the internet-made-him-do-it defense. Damn internet! This is almost too good.
I agree with your last sentence; the timing of this is almost too marvelous for the D’s ….and when some of this ‘almost too good’ political tar begins sticking to whatever ‘party of Jefferson’ operatives held onto it until just the right moment, then it will be equally unconvincing for the Soros CREW people to say “this is no time to be talking about politics”
By way of saying – all is fair, and Karl Rove didn’t invent political hardball, and the historical slag-heap of ruined political careers has just as many victims of the left wingnut attack machine as of the right wingnut attackomatic
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Bob said on October 2, 2006 at 9:54 pm
I certainly won’t dispute that what Foley did was wrong. He sounds like a lecherous creep who doesn’t play well with people his own age.
That said, when I hear all the talk about the boys being victimized, something in me says, “Just slow down, now.”
As a gay geezer, I’ve seen quite a lot of crap in my several trips around the block. Some of that crap consists of young guys giving older men the come-on. Apparently they have various reaons for doing it; some get a their kicks enticing older men into a high state of frustration, sort of a power trip, I guess.
Some are experimenting or doing it just for physical pleasure, and some do it for material rewards.
A common denominator in a lot of cases is that they seem to have not really come to terms with their sexuality. They get their thrills and have fun playing their games, but when rumors start or something happens that threatens to out them among their peers, they go into panic mode and grab at anything they can think of to create a cover story.
They start telling fag jokes, making homophobic remarks, and spinning the facts with comments to their buddies to the effect that “That creepy old queer tried to get into my pants.”
The IM exchange reads like the teen was playing into Foley’s advances with titillating responses.
Didn’t I read that the whole thing came out in the open when the teen told one of his friends? Seems like if he had really wanted to end unwanted solicitations, he would have told an adult in a position of authority.
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Laura said on October 3, 2006 at 5:23 am
This has very little to do with being gay or straight. It’s about adults preying on children. No matter if you think children of any stripe ‘start’ this behavior, it is up to the adult to stay away.
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James said on October 3, 2006 at 7:42 am
“Didn’t I read that the whole thing came out in the open when the teen told one of his friends? Seems like if he had really wanted to end unwanted solicitations, he would have told an adult in a position of authority.”
He told his parents. They decided to do nothing. I dunno…. maybe they were red-staters…
I don’t think it’s the closeted gay angle that offends people, it the fact that this guy was such a lying hypocrite; he was the co-chair of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. He spoke publicly about how terrible the internet was what with all those pedophiles out there trying to seduce children while he was doing the very same thing.
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Randy said on October 3, 2006 at 9:20 am
The Internet made me play poker. &@%$ the Internet.
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Danny said on October 3, 2006 at 10:07 am
James pretty much nails it, but as Nancy obliquely points out, we all know that if there is one thing this whole thing is NOT going to be about: the children.
And I’m OK with that for now. The guy is out of office and people are warned about him. And, so far, it seems he was not successful in seducing any kids.
So, now, we are being treated to some interesting theater. The operatives in each party are playing their games before the mid-terms. Woodward, who was given unprecedented access to the Whitehouse, has dropped his little turd in the punchbowl in timely fashion (he even admits this).
Time to pop some corn and enjoy.
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Dwight the Troubled Teen said on October 3, 2006 at 10:18 am
Kewel!
Let talk about congressmen exploiting teenage boys!
Let’s talk about running a gay brothel of young boys out of his house!
Ohhhh. Oh wait. That’s not what you meant, is it? Sorry. I’ll be back when a Repub drowns a young girl in his car because he’s too drunk to drive. Surely THAT will be enough scandal to run a cad out of politics!
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nancy said on October 3, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Dwight, if you’re going to comment here, please close your tags.
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James said on October 3, 2006 at 12:16 pm
Dwight:
I musta missed that part about Barney Frank running a gay brothel. The link you provided was to Wikipedia, which didn’t mention that.
Is there any truth behind that, or are you just trying to slander him knowingly in a public forum?
Just wanted to be clear.
Perhaps you could change your handle to Dwight the HomoPhobe?
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James said on October 3, 2006 at 12:18 pm
To be clear: Frank was reprimanded for having someone in his house running a prostitution ring. Frank wasn’t accused of running it himself, that’s your aspersion.
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