Gov. Charlie Crist named by blogger and the film 'Outrage,' citing closeted gay politicians

St. Petersburg Times ^ | May 08, 2009 | Eric Deggans

[DesertRenegade]

As Florida Gov. Charlie Crist considers whether to enter the competitive race to replace Sen. Mel Martinez, some public talk has turned to the issue of his sexuality, thanks to Outrage, an independent film focused on politicians who are accused of hiding their sexual orientation.

During this appearance on an Arlington, Va., cable newschannel, Crist's name surfaced during a conversation on Outrage. The film names Crist among several political figures alleged to be hiding their sexual orientation, using comments from people who claim to be past lovers in addition to other material.

The newschannels' segment featured blogger Mike Rogers, whose blogActive site features similar reports on political figures, and host Doug McKelway in a heated argument that distracts from some key questions which deserve an answer:

Does the movie make a strong case for its allegations against each subject, and were the subjects given a chance to respond?

Is it ethical to reveal a politician's private sexual orientation, just because someone feels their policies are anti-gay?

Is there a difference between a politician who does not reveal his/her sexual orientation and a politician who creates a public image different than his/her private life?

Is it fair to a require a politician who may be gay or bisexual to publicly acknowledge their sexual orientation when they are involved with legislation impacting gay or bisexual issues?

I'm not sure how I feel about these issues; there seem to be strong arguments on both sides. Making all this tougher to navigate is the GOP's longstanding demonization of gay people in electoral politics and the damage a politician can receive just by having his/her name included in these discussions.

[DesertRenegade]

The way the liberal media portrays homosexuals, you would think they are all around us. Yet my whole life (in my late 30’s), I’ve never personally known a single one. I don’t live a secluded life, so I would guess that in reality their numbers are very low. What really freaks me out are the actual facts of their lifestyle. When you read about how they haunt dirty toilet rooms and then the stuff Dr. Laura documented about pursuing young boys, it makes you want to barf. I don’t consider myself bigoted, but that is my honest reaction to their perverted practices. Even a young child knows that men and women are compatible, not Adam and Steve.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Oh, you might’ve known one, it’s just some people don’t feel the need to blast their proclivities to everyone they meet. I’ve said often we’ve gone from Oscar Wilde’s “the love that dare not speak its name” to the love that won’t SHUT up.

I remember about 15 years ago we had a local radio talk show host who fathomed himself a “moderate realist.” When callers phoned in and they got too worked up at criticizing gays, he’d get after them for it. One day, a gay group (or someone affiliated with them) invited him to a Gay Pride Parade. When he came back to town, he apologized to his listeners. He said it was the singlemost disgusting spectacle he’d ever witnessed.

It was just sexual perversion and deviance on public display, basically exhibitionism (whereas gays before took their business underground to out-of-the-way clubs, they were just showing off in the streets in broad daylight, dressed up in ways that would be intolerable if straight people did that). If gays wanted to put on a parade claiming normalcy, they’d dress up in suits or casual wear, stating, “Hey, look. We’re just like your neighbors.” Do that, and it would be hard to oppose it. But instead, they put on sex gear, feather boas, g-strings, exposed buttocks, dresses, dildos, whips, wigs, leather S&M, and a whole bunch of unmentionables, all the while they not only demand our RESPECT but our full-blown acceptance that it’s normal ! Normal people don’t ACT that way in public. I don’t care what two (or more) consenting ADULTS do in private, but don’t shove that crap in my face and expect me to celebrate your perversion.

[PhilDragoo]

Charlie Crist Let My Daughter Die

To add insult to injury, at a recent banquet, our alleged pro-life candidate for the Governor of Florida said the following about Judge George Greer and other judges involved in the death of my daughter, "You are heroes to all of us, and your defense of the judiciary and what is right is beyond admirable."

[BykrBayb]

Crist was attorney general. Terri's Dad did a fair job of explaining Crist's involvement.

Terri Schiavo's Father: Florida GOP Gov Candidate Charlie Crist Let Terri Die

by Bob Schindler
August 1, 2006

LifeNews.com Note: Bob Schindler is Terri Schiavo's father and now spends his time working with the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation to help disabled patients obtain appropriate health care.

As most Americans know, on March 31, 2005, my daughter, Terri Schindler Schiavo died of starvation and thirst after having her feeding tube removed by court order. The sad chain of events that concluded with Terri’s death ignited a media firestorm nationally and internationally. What few saw or heard was the callous inaction of aspiring governor Charlie Crist.

Florida Atty. Gen. Charlie Crist let my daughter die. He had it within his authority to save her life, but he turned a blind eye to her suffering. Even worse, he worked to ensure her death.

Terri lived in a neurologically compromised state for reasons that are still unknown, and my family wanted nothing more than permission to care for Terri for the span of her natural life. We were denied.

My daughter tenaciously fought for her life for more than 13 days after being deprived of the most basic, natural and constant need that we all share—the need for nourishment—food and water. Terri was not on a respirator, nor terminally ill. She was not dying, nor succumbing to a dreadful disease. She was disabled. She was dependent on others, but still very much a life, a woman, and a person.

Over the course of several years, our family, our lawyers, and our friends pleaded for help from local, county, and state police and regulatory agencies with constitutional and statutory authority to investigate the many sworn statements of extreme abuse and neglect suffered by our daughter.

Hoping to save my daughter's life, our family sought the help of Attorney General Charlie Crist. Not only did Charlie Crist refuse our family lawful access to the assets of his office, but he violated his oath of office by actively cooperated with those in positions of political and judicial authority whom denied us legal access to the police and regulatory systems meant to protect the weak. Multiple sworn agents from responsible police and regulatory agencies who found probable cause to investigate allegations of abuse in Terri's judicial and physical care, were ordered to shut down those probes. This heavy-handedness made us powerless.

Information of direct interest to Attorney General Charlie Crist's office was directly delivered to his personal hands, and he refused to properly execute the duties of his office. And it was with deliberate decision that he failed to attend a scheduled Tallahassee meeting with our family. On another occasion, we approached each other by chance. Upon recognizing me, Charlie Crist abruptly stopped and walked away.

That callous action encapsulates Charlie Crist. He walked away from a man whose daughter’s fate he controlled. At that moment, he turned his back on Terri. And he turned his back on the most fundamental duties of his office.

It is quite clear that Charlie Crist, to this day, has demonstrated no public affection for the cause of life, or Christianity, or any set of core values. He has been posturing to become governor for decades. With each voting audience he has crafted a message based on the expediency of the moment.

To add insult to injury, at a recent banquet, our alleged pro-life candidate for the Governor of Florida said the following about Judge George Greer and other judges involved in the death of my daughter, "You are heroes to all of us, and your defense of the judiciary and what is right is beyond admirable."

Through his actions, Charlie Crist has demonstrated that he has no regard for our most vulnerable citizens, the high duties of public office, or life itself. Charlie Crist’s celebration of the merciless judges who condemned Terri to death speaks to his true character.

Þ

[BykrBayb]

Great minds think alike. I was composing post 64 when you pinged me.

[KDD]

And nearly 80% of Floridians agreed with Charlie in that case. It was not within his offices jurisdiction to intervene. It was in fact one of the main reasons Crist beat Gallager by a 3 to one vote in the primary. Charlie was smart to avoid the nut job minority unlawful requests.

[Arthur McGowan]

Was Crist involved at all in the murder of Terri Schiavo? Jeb Bush was. Bush failed to send police and/or National Guard to prevent the murder.

President Eisenhower sent troops to Little Rock to ensure the integration of schools. Does Jeb Bush condemn what Eisenhower did? I think not.

Which means: Jeb Bush believes that school segregation is a more serious evil than murder.

[Lancey Howard]

I wonder if David Souter is outed in this movie? It would explain a lot, from Souter suddenly stepping down to all the headlines about senators being asked if they would “consider” the nomination of a sodomite to the Supreme Court.

[Arthur McGowan]

Please explain how it is not any state official’s job to intervene when a person is being murdered in public view.

[Lancey Howard]

You nailed it. Jeb Bush got pushed around by a county probate judge and watched helplessly, along with the rest of the world, the excruciating, televised, three-week murder of Terri Schiavo by starvation. Presidential material? Yeah, sure.

[BykrBayb]

Murder is wrong. Your disdain for the victim doesn’t justify it. For that matter, your disdain is unjustified. So is your lie that 80% of Floridians agree that cognitively disabled people should be tortured to death. I suppose that could have been a typo on your part, since the truth is that 8% agreed that it was acceptable to murder her. But that’s beside the point anyway, because even if 100% of people support murder, it’s still wrong. I’m baffled at your inability to understand that very simple and eternal fact.

[PhilDragoo]

[BykrBayb]

Oh definitely. There’s a strange kind of love being displayed. It’s creepy.

[trisham]

bump

[tlb]

>>>Making all this tougher to navigate is the GOP’s longstanding demonization of gay people in electoral politics

Not the GOP so much as the shrill “Churchlady” segment, who think gays are hiding under their beds ready to pounce if they drift to sleep. Those who make self-righteousness a crusade, then call themselves “true conservatives”.

The movie is fulfilling its purpose well. GOP fratricide they want, and GOP fratricide they will get. As Rahm and Barney et al sit back and laugh at the clowns throwing pies into each others face.

[Joe Boucher]

“Who cares what he does in the privacy of his bedroom”?
Seems the dems made a huge fuss about the Florida congress critter who had a crush on a congressional page.

[Grampa Dave]

It would be interesting to see how many Rinos are closeted gays.

[BykrBayb]

Do you mean on this thread, or in general?

[Ann Archy]

Well....now I don’t care if they do unmask him if he’s really gay. Payback is a bitch.....

[Grampa Dave]

In general.