Those who read this blog and know my politics may well be surprised to learn that for the last ten years, I have long been a fan of a man who is perhaps the angriest of gay activists and whom many consider to be among the most left-wing–Larry Kramer. I admire him not because I agree with his politics, indeed, I find his rants against Republicans to be unfair and over the top. But, when he talks about gay culture, his diagnosis of our woes is spot on, even if the solutions he offers may not be entirely to be my liking.

That is why I was delighted when I learned that he would be speaking at Breaking Stories, Breaking Waves, the LGBT Media Summit and National Convention. I just returned from his talk and took many pages of notes. I doubt I’ll get to everything he said in the post, indeed, even in subsequent posts should I blog on this again, but I’d like at least to address some of the salient points he made.

I believe this angry gay activist to be a great American largely because he is constantly reminding us that being gay is about more than just sex. He did so today, just as he did yesterday.

Ten years ago in The Advocate, he trashed Edmund White’s then-latest novel, The Farewell Symphony because it celebrated (in his graphic detail) White’s (endless and meaningless) sexual exploits. Like me, Kramer wanted to see more gay fiction which told stories of real relationships and love. In that spirit, he noted today that too often we find having sex with another man as the be-all and end-all definition of being gay. Instead, he said, “Love is what it’s all about it.”

Exactly. Sex talk permeates our culture. And we’re only beginning to talk about love between men as being more than a furtive sexual encounter having a meaning deeper than the cute and clever expression of a Hallmark card.

Like this blog, he was quite critical both of the Advocate and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), in large part, for some of the reasons we’ve been so critical of that publication and that group. He feels they have been too kind to the Democrats. He claimed to be “constantly taking swipes at HRC.”

Hillary “should kiss our ass to be there” (in the Advocate) and its reporters should “ask questions which amount to something.” He said the word “beggar” defines HRC “when it come to talking to the candidates.” While they fawn all over the candidates, Kramer said, “Hillary says ‘I love you’ and I don’t believe her.”

(more…)

Since US Sen. Larry Craig did the right thing by resigning today, I would like to call upon the following Democrats to join him in resigning from Congress as well.  

These are in the order of importance based on the damage they have done to the Congress and our nation as a whole.

1 – Jay Rockefeller.   For illegally leaking classified intelligence material to the news media due to his position on the Senate Intelligence Committee.  Such acts constitute treason in a time of war.

2 – Nancy Pelosi.  For statements against the President in a time of war that constitute sedition.  For conducting illegal foreign policy with a sworn enemy of the United States (Syria).

3 – Harry Reid.  For statements against the President in a time of war that constitute sedition.

4 – John Murtha.  For slandering the United States Marines in a time of war for accusing them of murder and rape in the Haditha incident where no charges were filed at the time, and where now most all charges have been dropped, and by all military investigatory accounts — no crimes were committed.

5 - Ted Kennedy.  For statements against the President in a time of war that constitute sedition.  For violating Senate ethics rules by serving in the US Senate for 30 years following his drunk driving murder of a young woman.

6 - Dick Durbin.  For statements against the President in a time of war that constitute sedition.  For slandering the US military in a time of war by equating them with Nazi storm troopers.

7 - William Jefferson.  For blantant corruption in office and abuse of power during the Katrina disaster.

My hands are really getting too tired to go on, so please continue your own recommendations in the comment section!

-Bruce (GayPatriot)