Gay politicians’ hypocrisy uncovered in movie ‘Outrage’

As Obama passes his first 100 days in office, I find myself sad that we liberals have less and less to complain about. Guantanamo Bay is closing, good health care policy is in the works, and I no longer have nightmares about McCain invading my living room on top of an elephant as if he were a Carthaginian emperor.

Nonetheless, liberals in 2009 still have more things to complain about than Holden Caulfield would, holding a broken Miley Cyrus record.

One such complaint is homosexuality in America. This week's "gay controversy" surrounded Miss California and her Twitter-quarrel with Perez Hilton. I could take an opinion on this. But I won't. Why? Because important American figures don't wear tiaras.

Moving on, a controversy occurred at the Tribeca Film Festival. A documentary titled "Outrage," which outs allegedly closeted right-wing politicians, previewed this past weekend in lower Manhattan.

To begin with, I should be upset there's a movie dedicated to this. To out someone is a bit of a faux pas, and this movie probably doesn't help the queer cause. At the same time, it kind of makes the director of the film, Kirby Dick, look like the same four-letter word that is also his last name. On the other hand, gossiping about and laughing at the follies of Republican congressmen is definitely quite fun.

Dick's film draws on a compilation of substantiated rumors to expose conservative Republicans. The more obvious of these individuals includes former Rep. Mark Foley, who resigned after allegations of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old male page, and Larry Craig, who was caught cruising a men's bathroom at a Minnesota airport.

The Mark Foley controversy surfaced in 2006 before the midterm elections, causing quite a stir. Many other Republican congressmen were implicated as they were accused of helping to cover up the scandal, this being one possible reason that Democrats won back the House in 2006.

The illicit e-mails were released publicly and, if you Google "Mark Foley e-mail," results will take you to the complete transcripts. Reading this, you can see how, um, "imaginative," Foley is.

What's most interesting about the scandal is that Foley asked this young page to send him naked pictures as he simultaneously championed several bills proposing harsher anti-child pornography laws.

He also passed a law allowing Boy Scouts of America to have access to FBI background checks. I bet he regrets that one.

Larry Craig, too, has advocated legislative action that hinders his own sexual adventures. He was set up by the police in a sting where he solicited sex in public. Apparently he never heard of Craigslist.

What's most ironic is the senator's legislative record.

It probably wasn't the best idea to vote against HIV/AIDS support when you're having sex with random dudes in airport bathrooms. Good job, senator. I hope you used a condom.

This scandal exemplifies the sort of discriminatory treatment against homosexuals that the senator only exacerbated through his voting record.

Federal agents have been baiting men in public bathrooms since at least the 1950s, unfairly and systematically targeting gay men. Do we ever hear of women being baited by federal agents to have sex in a dressing room at Macy's?

As Dick's film is reportedly trying to convey, these instances reveal the hypocrisy of the political right, whose actions contradict their voting record.

Thus, these inconsistencies hinder any chance of social progress so that senators — and other closeted individuals — don't have to solicit random sex in public bathrooms like at a Minnesota airport. Or even a university library?

Scott is a sophomore in political science.