I agree, Mike Jones was very brave. I don’t think very many people in his position would have the courage to do what he did — I don’t think I would. It is a shame our community has not shown him more support. I’ve stopped giving to HRC 2 years ago because they ignored Jones’s pleas for assistance dealing with the media; instead I sent the money to Jones (this was some time ago, there was a fund set up for donations to him, maybe someone knows if that is still active, and how to make further donations?)

Sometimes I think we are becoming so desperate for acceptance by straights that we are willing to abandon those on the fringes. — Richard Rush

You will get no argument out of me about that observation, Richard. Gay society has been doing everything it can to promote its acceptance by mainstream-America. The Evangelical Christian Right is unlikely to ever accept us because we are unrepentant and expect to maintain our right to be homosexual. The rest of America is starting to peek around the corner at us, just hoping that they don’t see anything too nasty going on. Gay leaders are trying to get middle-America just far enough past their ignorance of us to be in the same room and not feel threatened.

The Sam Adams controversy currently occupying so much measure in this very forum is another example of just how hard Gay America wants to protect its image, especially when the slur being defended against is questionable contact with a minor.

It’s pretty clear that what keeps the Anti-Gay industry in business is hate mongering, fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD). Coupled with a large measure of foisted guilt, and playing on the superstitions of “the flock” of mostly uncritical thinkers that will follow its leaders, it continues to function as a parasite on society. The fact that one of “their own” such leaders has become embroiled in a scandal involving a gay man who was a sex worker must be keeping them up at night trying to figure out a way to blame gay people for what to them is a public relations nightmare. Don’t be surprised if they manage to spin this to the detriment of the gay-movement’s image, at least well enough to convince their followers.

And Priya Lynn also got it right.

Yeah, I think so too. Sex workers, well, that’s always been a little edgy for the mainstream, certainly due to a desire to not be seen as “sleazy” or so “desperate” as to need to pay for the service a sex worker provides. That’s mostly due to an image problem prostitutes have. Just like any minority, they have been tarred with a very wide brush.
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I too say bravo to Jim, and thanks to Mike Jones, for exposing the breathtaking hypocrisy of Haggard, his church, and its leaders.

As I recall, none of the national gay-rights organizations wanted anything to do with him after the original story broke. After all, he was “just” a prostitute. Sometimes I think we are becoming so desperate for acceptance by straights that we are willing to abandon those on the fringes. I was thinking of this last year when many were eager to throw the transgendered under the bus in order to get ENDA passed. The T’s are certainly the most vulnerable of the LGBTs and need protection more than the rest of us. I think the people who stormed out of the Stonewall in 1969 would be disgusted with us.

And Priya Lynn also got it right. I think prostitutes are much more honorable than the legions of hucksters for God who earn money by convincing people they will suffer eternal damnation if they don’t believe enough, pray enough, hate gays enough, or don’t tithe enough.

Mike has taken a lot of abuse over the years for his part in exposing Haggard. And he has received very limited support.

But I think that Mike would probably consider this comment of your to make it all worth while.

From the report last night and what else we know, it sounds like Haggard was a serial (molester? Sexual harasser?). The way Haas talked about Haggard “lighting up” when finding out Haas was stuggling with his sexuality just brings up the possibility of a bunch of confused young people in that church who were preyed on by a man who was living in denial. Had Jones not spoken out, Haggard would likely still be heading this church, and continuing to harass other men.