In the 1950's the United States was gripped by fear. Not necessarily a fear of communism, but of communist accusations. We called this phenomenon "the Red Scare." Nowadays, the GOP is gripped by "the Pink Scare": a monster of the party's own making. Idaho Senator Larry Craig's sexual preference matters not in this case. What matters is how quickly and downright fiendishly his alleged cohorts dropped him like a hot potato. Two years ago, when Republican dinosaurs ruled D.C., this incident would hardly have been a blip on the radar. Now, with the (eventually) upcoming presidential election, Iraq War backpedaling and a truly desperate attempt by the GOP to return to "moral values," Craig's career is instantly dead in the water. This is more due to the past sins of his Republican predecessors, most notably Florida Congressman Mark Foley, whose actions. say some, cost the GOP the 2006 midterm elections.
This recent turn of events which has waylaid the careers of many would-be moral beacons such as Rev. Ted Haggard, leaves the Republican party in a genuine crisis: should they begin to preach a message of greater acceptance to their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, or continue to preach a moral, but unacceptably hypocritical, message of intolerance towards gays, which would inevitably lead to more disgraceful outings in other public lavatories. At least this seems to be the burgeoning pattern.
If Larry Craig is indeed the victim of a "witch hunt," as he claims, can the public truly feel sorry for a man who has burned so many with his intolerance? What he calls a witch hunt, most would call poetic justice. And it seems as though it's just beginning. As the election grows nearer, more will be sacrificed for the GOP's greater good.
GOP senators say Craig should resign [AP]
