Exit, Stage Right
Although it is certainly implied by my posts regarding Senator Santorum's homophobic comments, let me make it clear- he should step down from his position as Conference Chair. To be perfectly honest, there is a part of me who thinks he ought to leave the Senate, as well, but I will leave that decision up to the good people of Pennsylvania. What I find equally troubling, as I think many other bloggers do, is the deafening silence from the White House. The President was very vocal in his condemnation of Senator Lott's comments about Strom Thurmond and one has to wonder why that same level of opprobium is not present in this case. Is it that the White House, especially Karl Rove, views gays and lesbians as a constituency they can write off? A very basic analysis will reveal that there are more African Americans than gays and lesbians, but that analysis fails to take into account the number of people who are neither gay nor lesbian who were offended by Santorum's remarks. And it is not just social liberals like myself. True conservatives will be equally offended by government intervention into the bedroom and the lack of respect that Santorum gives to basic individual liberties. The silence makes it all the more clear just how beholden to religious zealots the GOP and this White House are.