The right wing threatened it in the Leader, Petey LaBarbera takes it a step further by ‘outing’ Dan Rutherford. Is Dan gay? Well, we don’t know though rumors have long held that he is. But don’t let that unconfirmed rumor stop you from using him in your attack on gays.
In November, I wrote Mr. Rutherford asking him to answer the widely assumed questions surrounding his sexuality, and he never responded. Here is the text of my e-mail letter to him, dated 11-18:
Dear Sen. Rutherford: There is an awful lot of speculation…
…about you being a homosexual. In the interest of full disclosure, I’d like to know if it’s true, so that your constituents and others in Illinois can be better informed about you.
I believe in this day and age, this issue should not be something that is relegated to secret discussions and gossip. Indeed, the other day I had a conversation with Mike Rogers, a homosexual activist in Washington, D.C., who is in the business of “outing” any perceived homosexuals who are NOT sufficiently supporting the “gay rights” agenda (e.g., opposing “gay marriage”). Interestingly, he and his friends seek to expose only those “homosexuals” who are voting or acting publicly IN OPPOSITION to “gay rights.” This strikes me as tantamount to political blackmail, but they are forcing the issue: “homosexual” legislators now know that they could be exposed if they speak out against homosexual agenda goals. Clearly, it is not fair to a legislator’s constituents if, unbeknownst to them, he or she could be subjected to such political pressures from liberal militants.
Even I disagree with the other side’s tactics, it seems that due to an array of factors the days of “closeted” homosexuality are coming to a close. Perhaps this is best given that so many on the “gay” side seem intent on making this such a public matter.
Some time ago, Dem operatives claimed they had footage of Dan coming out of a gay bar. Now, even if such footage existed, it doesn’t make him gay. I suggested that such a move to out him was against the values of the Democratic Party. At the time, I never expected idiots like LaBarbera to pull this kind of crap, but here you go.
Dan Rutherford is smart, ambitious and clean in terms of corruption. He’s more conservative on issues like choice than I prefer, but he’s a decent guy. He deserves every consideration for statewide office. Who he loves is absolutely irrelevant to any of those jobs.
As a side note, I have put off discussing this for some time because I think it’s irrelevant to Rutherford’s public career. Given this move by LaBarbera it seems the dam has been broken and I think the focus should stay squarely on the jackass who brought it up, not on a decent office holder.
Either Mr. LaBarbera is dumber than the average fencepost, or else he’s significantly challenged in the irony department. How else do you explain the juxtaposition of the following two sentences: “I believe in this day and age, this issue should not be something that is relegated to secret discussions and gossip. Indeed, the other day I had a conversation with Mike Rogers, a homosexual activist in Washington, D.C., who is in the business of “outing” any perceived homosexuals…”?
If all one has to do to be outed is to be PERCEIVED to be homosexual, anybody with a functioning brain could easily come up with dozens or hundreds of reasons for doing whatever one could to keep one’s sexual orientation from becoming a matter of public record. Especially if said orientation happened to be other than the majority one.
Just picture it….
LaBarbera wandering around Springfield doing that “fingernail test” that we learned in middle school on Reps figuring out who to out…
“I believe in this day and age, this issue should not be something that is relegated to secret discussions and gossip,” LaBarbera said.
“…the days of “closeted” homosexuality are coming to a close. Perhaps this is best given that so many on the “gay” side seem intent on making this such a public matter,” LaBarbera said.
So does that not put LaBarbera on the “gay” side then if he believes this “issue should not be something that is relegated to secret discussions and gossip”??? Man… time to OUT LaBarbera!!!!
This disgusting behavior needs to stop. It does not advance any policy discussion it is only abou tpersonal destruction. And this is not hte only place the Dems and the activists are doing this “outing” of Republicans. It is also happening in South Carolina. Yes, lets focus those who insist upon this way of attack and not the public officials named. None of them deserve this because they do a wonderful job in their various positions.
I personally know State. Sen. Rutherford. He is a wonderful man and deserves to be considered for any position he may run for on the statewide level.
Mr. Rutherford has often been thought to be gay but we think his constituents don’t really know it. It’ll be interesting watching their surprise if and when it comes out fully as he has a lot of support from the ultra conservatives churches in his area.
Though I think Dan Rutherford is a corrupt cynical scumbag who operated with full knowledge of state employees usage on political campaigns, I find it both funny and pathetic that his sexuality is of anyone’s concern.
Anyway, he danced with the fascist devil that is the GOP, and now it is biting him in the rear end. Politically, he deserves every bit of scrutiny the Republicans dish out. Nevertheless, my better side tells me that no one deserves what these bible-thumpers are doing and will do to him.
Good luck to Dan Rutherford, and I’ll be certain to heckle him at the next 4th of July parade in Wheaton – I may even hand him a rainbow flag!