Ashburn: "I am gay."

[DirkGently]

Well that's that, at least. Still defending his voting record as "representing his constituents" apparently. Can "re-hab" be far behind?

"I am gay. And so, those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long," Ashburn told radio host Inga Banks on her show on the KERN station in Bakersfield. (snip)

"I felt my duty, and I still fell this way, is to represent my constituents," Ashburn said, adding later that "I don't think it's something that has affected or will affect how I do my job."

Edit: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=58665

[joeybee12]

1. So, your reprsenttaives want you to be a dick?

Well, then you're doing a good job, although I doubt the ads he ran for election said, "Vote for me, I'll be a dick."

[hlthe2b]

2. Is there a hypocrisy gene?

One wonders.... (and it must be close to the gene allele for authoritarian personality)

[DirkGently]

11. What's 'hypocrisy?'

Doesn't seem like even bothers anyone anymore. A quick search suggests Asburn's orientation was widely known. I'll bet a fair proportion of his conservative colleagues even knew.

I don't know how someone does that either, but it seems the entire idea of arguing from an honest perspective has lost all importance. Politicians and even everday people just pick an ideology, slap on a bumper sticker, and *intentionally do not think* about whether what they are saying has any relation to the truth.

[CreekDog]

3. It's bad enough to vote anti-gay

but the idea that he was a major leader of the anti-gay caucus and simultaneously gay himself...it just strains credulity to say that his own homosexuality did not affect the way he did his job.

i think this was the kind of thing David Brock was talking about in his book a while back.

[Initech]

7. I may be an armchair psychologist but he sounds like a classic self-loather.

And believe me, I attended a born-again church for a long time and realized that was the norm for that place, I
know their type pretty well.

[Mz Pip]

4. I guess my question

would be, why would he want to represent these homophobic right wingers? I can't believe everyone in Bakersfield is that way but his voting record suggests different.

It would be like me going to Mississippi and continually voting for anti-choice legislation because that's waht my constituents want. I don't think I could live with myself.

[dave29]

5. proof that it's never too late

to drink and drive

[KamaAina]

6. KamaAina: "Well, DUH!!"

:eyes:

[gratuitous]

8. Does it occur to Mr. Ashburn?

That the constituents he has so zealously represented - against his own personal interest - are a big part of the reason he was unable to live his life with honesty and integrity? That in endorsing their bigotry with his representation, he made his own life more miserable? And does he have any regard whatsoever for other gay men and women who don't have the resources he does in dealing with the hatred?

He's still new at this living outside the closet thing. I hope he is able to come to terms with his quisling ways.

[county worker]

9. That's going to go over like a lead balloon in Bakersfield!

Bakersfield is about as red as you can get in CA. The Bakersfield Californian endorsed Bush twice. I got some letters to the editor printed and they were saved by the local UU church since liberal letters were so rare.

[KingFlorez]

10. You can't be disingenuous and represent anyone

It wasn't all about his constituents, Ashburn was battling himself. He had no problem voting for a tax hike, even though his very conservative district was opposed to it, he certainly wasn't voting their will then. He wanted to try and pretend to be something he wasn't, it's as simple as that.