Posted on 09/05/2007 11:49:47 AM PDT by Jose Pen
According to The Washington Post, there are 33 names on Rogers' list of Congressional charlatans - 30 of them Republicans. If only one-third of these scoundrels get outed in the next two years, the earthquake on Capitol Hill will be so large that it may cause a war between GOP moderates and social conservatives.
About three years ago, I was lounging in a Montreal hotel room when I got a call from activist Mike Rogers. I was unaware of who he was, but this intense stranger began interrogating me for information about - well, I don't even remember what the topic was anymore. But, I do recall that he was about the toughest advocate I had encountered in quite some time. As I hung up the phone I thought, "thank God this guy is on our side."
In an era of softer advocacy, Rogers is decidedly in your face. Yet, he has integrated new media with old school activism to create a stunningly effective hybrid that has brought Capitol Hill to its knees. Well, the hypocritical, anti-gay Congressmen were already on their knees - but until Rogers came along with his "outing" website BlogActive, they were getting away with it. Rogers does not tiptoe (or is it tap foot) around the contentions issue of outing and has a string of successes, including the downfall of closeted former Virginia GOP Congressman Ed Schrock.
Since our initial conversation we have become friends. At his Washington apartment, he is a whirlwind of activity, fighting for a just cause with little reward. While our "mainstream" organizations have reaped a windfall of resources, Rogers, arguably our most effective voice, has had to scrape tooth and nail.
Unfortunately, the veneer of "respectability" often trumps results when it comes to supporting GLBT causes. With little more than willpower, Rogers has become a major powerbroker in our nation's capitol. This week, he was featured in a Washington Post article under the headline, "The Most Feared Man On The Hill?"
The downfall of Sen. Larry "Wide Stance" Craig has put Rogers in the spotlight, where he is finally getting his due. Months before "potty-gate," Rogers outed Craig for allegedly having sex at Washington's Union Station. Now that he has been vindicated (not the first time), he has gone from a pariah, in some circles, to downright prophetic.
In addition to the Washington Post feature, Rogers has made the rounds on CNN, NBC's Today Show and National Public Radio. He has earned his celebrity and his efforts deserve our full-fledged praise and support.
Still, some opponents - often in the GLBT community - have tried to smear Rogers as radical or loony. Sometimes, these slights are in the media, but more often than not, they are defamatory whispers at cocktail parties by those who feel threatened by his work. Far from radical, however, Rogers is refreshingly contemplative and levelheaded when it comes to the ethics of outing. He has a clear idea of where he stands and has been consistent in his rules of engagement.
"When those private lives are in direct conflict with the public policy that these officials espouse, I think it's fair game that their private lives be brought into this," Rogers told The Washington Post. "And I have a blog to do that with. Here's the question: What community is expected to protect its own enemies? Don't beat up the gay community, and then expect us to protect your secrets and your double life. It's just not right."
When one sits down with Rogers, it is immediately clear that he is unorthodox in his approach, but he is not a wild gunslinger shooting from the hip. He is smart, deliberative and obsessed with getting his facts right. Indeed, he has yet to be wrong in his outing campaigns and has corroborated evidence before he has gone forward. This mix of careful journalism and energetic activism is an exemplary illustration of how one enterprising activist can make a difference and change the world
Indeed, it is not Rogers who is radical, but those who perpetuate or enable the GLBT population's second-class citizenship who are the extremists. He is simply holding elected officials to the standard of truthfulness and trustworthiness they campaigned on to get elected.
According to The Washington Post, there are 33 names on Rogers' list of Congressional charlatans - 30 of them Republicans. If only one-third of these scoundrels get outed in the next two years, the earthquake on Capitol Hill will be so large that it may cause a war between GOP moderates and social conservatives. There is no way the Party can absorb, justify or explain an additional 10-30 closeted gay politicians and still claim to be the party of conservative "family values."
Our community should find a way to come up with at least $333,000 ($10,000 per potential hypocrite) to support Rogers' ongoing investigations. He is one of the few advocates who has consistently backed up his rhetoric and delivered tangible victories. If we do not give this hero what he deserves, then we deserve to be lorded over by Republican hypocrites who have built their careers by bashing queers.
nope, dems are allowed to be “out and proud”
Clinton’s money scandal must be fixin to break...
Somehow I see a fatal car accident in this guys future, or a fall from a tall building or a ‘heart attack’.
I think it depends on the voters. While I personally don’t like seeing homosexual Republicans, if they run as a Republican and as an admitted homosexual, then they’re legitimately a member of the party. If they tout moral values that includes heterosexuality, then they betray themselves, their constituents, their party and their country. Fiscal conservatives can be personally immoral. If the voters know it when they vote them into office, then they’re legitimately an honest Republican.
Proof positive that the politics of personal destruction is alive and well in the party in which is was founded....
This is an extreme example of pressur politics and lobbying abuse which seeks to use extortion to disenfranchise the voters of Idaho.
The gays that support this are all in a twitter over winning the white house and keeping congress in the hands of the Democrats. Funny though, none of the major democrat candidates fully support homosexual agendas. 
. Guess there's no going over that rainbow for them.
Oh man, this isn’t good. It is a drive-by orchestrated lynching so that they can smear the GOP for the next year.
The whole story smells real bad, like Larry Craig and urinal cakes.
They are all sitting on powerful committees and proud of being gay.
They are honored for being gay. It promotes the RATS agenda for votes to stay in power.
Get rid of all of em I say. They have all sold out our country anyway.
I assume that Mike Rogers is gay. If this is true then he personifies Pogo’s statement that we have met the enemy and he are us. Why am I so confused about Mike Rogers taking issue with the gay lifestyle?
Simply have all Republican Senators and Reps come to the podium and say “I’m gay.”
That will put a stop to it pronto.
First, I doubt this guy is going to have any credibility.
Second, I wish that gay GOPers like Foley, who was outted by these guys, would pay them back by outting ALL gay Congressmen.
THAT is the slippery slope.
Shelly Bascum.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,295806,00.html
Again, breaking news tonight. FOX News has confirmed that Senator Larry Craig may be reconsidering his decision to resign. Joining us now with reaction to this story is blogger Mike Rodgers, who called for an investigation into Craig last year. Mike, you are very active. You thought you discovered he was a hypocrite. Tell us your side of this.
MIKE RODGERS, BLOGACTIVE.COM: Hi, Sean, and good evening. Thank you for having me on.
Maybe we need to track Dems who own guns, drive SUVs, take tax breaks, and have children rather than having aborted.
No, they’re so proud they don’t need to hide.
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