In reference to lastweek’s column: The Room and Boom bar will be open for business through itsclosing night party on Nov. 8. The building remains for sale or lease;interested parties may contact owner David Panek at 414-277-5022.
It inevitablyhappens. Everyone is enjoying the ambiance of some happy occasion when suddenlya noise emanates from upstairs—a slamming door perhaps, or incoherentmutterings. The conversation goes silent. Awkwardly, everyone reaches for theirwine at the same time. Then the party resumes—the noise was just the crazy relativewho lives in the attic. It’s the same in the LGBT community. Now, in theafterglow of Wisconsin’s marriage equality victory, and, with an election in theoffing, we’re reminded of our own family secret: the gay Republican.
They’re called theLog Cabin Republicans (LCR). The catchy name alludes to Abraham Lincoln, one ofour reputedly gay presidents, who, for a time, slept with an army captain. Thelink goes beyond old Abe’s presidential pining for a man in uniform to hisassociation with emancipation and other just causes, like the subjugation ofrebellious States. Well, maybe not the last one...after all, states rights is aGOP plank, just like “traditional marriage” (as in, one man and one woman, i.e.no same-sex). The Texas GOP even added a plank endorsing conversion therapy (asin converting gays to straights).
There was alsoGOProud. Formed by elite gays, it boasted Ann Coulter on its advisory council (didyou see the social media post with the iconic image of the melted Wicked Witchof the West captioned Ann Coulter takes the ice bucket challenge?).According to lore, a GOProud functionary called Coulter the “B” word. Never oneto take a compliment graciously, she went off in a huff. The group dissolvedwhen its leaders realized the GOP was bigoted towards LGBTs.
Meanwhile,Wisconsin’s LCR has 450-some social media “likes.” It has yet to post anendorsement of Scott Walker for a second gubernatorial term. The first timearound, in 2010, a local LCR member announced “Walker is 100% behind us.” Thatwas followed by a “but.” Of course, despite Wisconsin’s newly achieved marriageequality, Walker is busy restating his “one man, one woman” marriage mantra. Obviously,family values conservatives are more valuable than gay ones, especially justdays before an election.
Still, LCR’s socialmedia trumpets our ever-expanding LGBT marriage equality. Yet it neveracknowledges that this historic achievement has been accomplished by Democratslead by President Barack Obama. In fact, mention his role in LGBT equality to agay Republican and you get a sneer, underscored by an obligatory gay eye-roll.
Armchairpsychoanalysis might diagnose Stockholm syndrome, something Freudian or simpleselfishness. LGBT people now enjoy considerably more rights than ever before.The upside is many of us no longer fear being fired or disinherited simply forbeing gay. For some, that translates into empowerment and the exercise of ego.That the GOP rails against the mooching takers—not the corporate ones, but thepoor ones—sadly appeals to gay ego. Speaking of takers, before Wisconsinachieved marriage equality, local gay Republicans were known to run off to Iowato get married. That’s where a Republican reprisal removed three state SupremeCourt judges who ruled for marriage equality.
