Ostensibly, ex-Mayor Anthony Silva, a Stockton Republican, was arrested and thrown in jail with a million dollar bond because he embezzled some money from the Stockton Boys and Girls Club. What hasn't come out yet, though, is that the aggressively homophobic hypocrite was having sex with underage boys from the club and seems to have murdered one of his 16 year old victims. Silva is fighting tooth and nail to keep the Grand Jury transcripts sealed since they talk about these far more serious crimes he hasn't been charged with yet. No update on Oklahoma state Senator Ralph Shortey, another homophobic monster, caught a couple weeks ago having sex with an underage boy-- and charged with not just having sex with the boy, but having sex with him within 1,000 feet of a church (a seperate crime). He was last heard from resigning from his Senate seat and disappearing from public view.Why bring it up if there's no new news? Well, when Shortey resigned it reminded me of a Scientific America article about conservative closet cases a few years ago, Homophobes Might Be Hidden Homosexuals. The subtitle should have been "The Story of the Republican Party."
Homophobes should consider a little self-reflection, suggests a new study finding those individuals who are most hostile toward gays and hold strong anti-gay views may themselves have same-sex desires, albeit undercover ones.The prejudice of homophobia may also stem from authoritarian parents, particularly those with homophobic views as well, the researchers added...."Sometimes people are threatened by gays and lesbians because they are fearing their own impulses, in a sense they 'doth protest too much,'" [Prof. Richard] Ryan told LiveScience. "In addition, it appears that sometimes those who would oppress others have been oppressed themselves, and we can have some compassion for them too, they may be unaccepting of others because they cannot be accepting of themselves."...In four studies, the researchers looked at the discrepancies between what people say about their sexual orientation and their implicit sexual orientation based on a reaction-time test....In all of the studies, participants who reported supportive and accepting parents were more in touch with their implicit sexual orientation, meaning it tended to jibe with their outward sexual orientation. Students who indicated they came from authoritarian homes showed the biggest discrepancy between the two measures of sexual orientation."In a predominately heterosexual society, 'know thyself' can be a challenge for many gay individuals," lead author Netta Weinstein, a lecturer at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom,said in a statement. "But in controlling and homophobic homes, embracing a minority sexual orientation can be terrifying."Those participants who reported their heterosexuality despite having hidden same-sex desires were also the most likely to show hostility toward gay individuals, including self-reported anti-gay attitudes, endorsement of anti-gay policies and discrimination such as supporting harsher punishments for homosexuals.The research may help to explain the underpinnings of anti-gay bullying and hate crimes, the researchers note. People in denial about their own sexual orientation, perhaps a denial fostered by authoritarian and homophobic parents, may feel a threat from other gay and lesbian individuals. Lashing out may ultimately be an indicator of the person's own internal conflict with sexual orientation.This inner conflict can be seen in some high-profile cases in which anti-gay public figures are caught engaging in same-sex acts, the researchers say. For instance, evangelical preacher and anti-gay-marriage advocate Ted Haggard was caught in a gay sex scandal in 2006. And in 2010, prominent anti-gay activist and co-founder of conservative Family Research Council George Rekers was reportedly spotted in 2010 with a male escort rented from Rentboy.com. According to news reports, the escort confirmed Rekers is gay."We laugh at or make fun of such blatant hypocrisy, but in a real way, these people may often themselves be victims of repression and experience exaggerated feelings of threat," Ryan said. "Homophobia is not a laughing matter. It can sometimes have tragic consequences," as was the case in the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay man.
Religionist phones like Ted Haggard and George Rekers are one thing, but when you hear a Republican or any extreme conservative politician barking the loudest at gays and lesbians, you can count on the fact that he's probably sneaking around looking at boys penises in public restrooms. Or refusing to say hello to Elizabeth Warren in the Senate.
