Hi Friends;
I was updating my understanding of the news and knows in our little community via a stop over to Milkboys. http://www.milkboys.org/article/periodical-political-post-71/ The story of Indian Rep. Phil Hinkle being caught in an effort to have consensual intercourse with an adult teen posting his desires on Craig's List is not exactly news, but his actions since have been very interesting.
To begin, the young man wrote an ad on Craig's list detailing his desire for a "sugar daddy". Phil responded with an offer of $80 and a possible tip for a fun filled evening - I'll let you fill in the details for yourself.
Now, to detail some issues: Phil has held a decidedly anti-gay viewpoint, specifically in regards to so called "gay marriage". In fact, he led the way on a full block of the issue in Indiana.
His response to being quite caught in the above attempted prostitution of a young man, encouraging what some may call illicit and immoral acts for money has been "I'm sick and need help". "I did nothing really illegal". "We were going to talk baseball" (I believe that's a line from Jani Lane's Cherry Pie as well, but that could just be coincidence). He has refused to step down as an Indiana Representative, though he has been stripped of his committee appointments and has been publicly asked to step down by the Indiana House Speaker. Does that about cover things?
Ok, so here is my point: The fact that Phil Hinkle was caught in an attempted illicit homosexual affair is not the crime here.
The fact that Phil Hinkle felt he needed to hide his orientation and have these dark room affairs is the crime.
The freedom that we as gay men and women strive for should not be now thrown in this man's face with laughter, meanness and 'gotcha' gloating at his being caught, it should lament the very need for him to be hiding and unwilling to be himself. He was in a power position, and has lost it all for his inability to be himself.
Furthering his distortion of his need for "a walk on the wild side" (Lou Reed), this old man did lasting damage. His legislative efforts against the freedom we all hope for will not be tossed simply because he is in fact bisexual (at least), or even that he is actually duplicitous, two-faced, hypocrite.... you fill in the word... because the politicians really have no problem with any of that particular character trait. No, his efforts will be held in esteem, quietly, and pushed forward simply because they further an agenda that decries homosexuality as immoral - no matter how many bodies they have to step over to be on the 'moral high ground'.
3 comments:
Hello Randy
Another case of right-wing hypocrisy blown up in the perpetrator's face. What a shame(!), although I appreciate your magnanimous call not to gloat over Hinkle's demise. Another twist to the hypocrisy I haven't seen mentioned in the coverage of this case I've read, though, is that he doubtless portrayed himself as a 'God fearing, keep the gays in their place, can't have them thinking they're as good as us' sort of person to help to get the votes of his bigoted constituents and thereby get his elected position in the first place. Not just a hypocrite, but an outright liar, too.
Love & best wishes
Sammy B
Hi Sammy;
Oh, I would bet that he stood high upon that milkbox declaring the right and righteous.
Unfortunate that those who wish to believe something are unaffected by the messenger and willingly trip along their heals slavering over the oily drippings of any hyporcrite. And, when that one falls, how very willing they are to seek another.
My very best hopes and wishes to you, Sammy. Be well -
randy.
Hello Randy. An interesting question you poise. To point what is the wrong here. Well we all can agree that lying, and being hypocritical is wrong, but ask the why question again. Why did he feel it so important to live a life of denial, to play a charade for his life, and why at 60 did he need to PAY someone to satisfy a need he has been forced to hide, and last why was this a celebrated fall from grace?
These why's lead us back to....us! yes the us as a people. We would not have elected this man in his time if we had known he was gay or BI, that he had these urges. We would not have let him have the job he so badly wanted, wanted so bad he had to live a life of lies to have. We would wish he could have stood up and lead the "be who you are movement" but it was not in him to do so. Which leads to why we elect people who tell us what we want to hear, instead of who will LEAD us in a direction good for all, even if it causes us to leave our safety zones and be uncomfortable.
Why at 60 should he have to pay a young man for satisfaction. Why is the young man looking for an older man to be his "sugar daddy" which imply a trade of possessions and money for sex, not really a satisfying reason for an older man to have sex, as sad reality if you ask me.
Sad, the whole affair. His defense...I have not really broken the law. But I just wanted to, but not got the chance...wouldn't work in any other sexual situation. I wanted to rape someone but did not get to complete the job, or I wanted the teenager minor but never met him. Ya try that next time MSNBC does a predator sting...set up a meeting with what you think is a minor and then have the camera swoop in,,,and tell them no crime because we have yet to have sex...they put a lot of people behind bars today for their thoughts and hopes, their tries to get sex....but not this guy, he gets a pass?
So my questions are not so much about him, but about us..as a people, as a community. How can we help each other, lead each other, fix this fear over the human body and our sexual needs? How can we move our people to a more modern and free and accepting? Why do some people love to look at young people nearly nude or nude but turn away from an older person in the same place. Are they not as free, do they not have the same worth? Why do we have an attraction to youth and vigor, be sold it in every magazine and then panic at the thought of anyone under the magic age of 18 having those same feelings and needs. Why show us the cake but make eating it a crime..no not just a crime but something to change our perceptions of who we are as a people?
I am stunned in this story by the part of a 60 year old man so desperate to have a love he needs, that he needs to pay for it, and to avoid anyone knowing he will give up his possessions. I think of a man I knew who was in his early sixty's who broke several bones trying to appear young and fit enough, because he wanted someone special in his life and thought they needed to be younger than him. He only found happiness when he learned to accept his age, and to look for love closer to his age.
I do not condemn this man for his actions, I want to reach out to him, to show him a world different than the one we have created. To do that we need to use and spread a magic word. It is "forgiveness". Maybe that is the word that will set us free and move us into a new wondrous world.
Hugs, Scottie
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