Originally posted by Tiggeroo
Allright some thoughts from in S. Jersey. What an embarrasment. One report claimed that McGreevey's choosing of him for homeland security was personal. I am disgusted with the news coverage I'm seeing. Over and over again they said he will be a hero to gays everywhere for going public, and because he can identify with their stuggles. He even implied this in his farewell speach.
1. The man cheated on his wife, and perhaps his first wife.
2. He has 2 children, one from the previous marriage who are going to be himiliated over the publicness of this.
3. He had an affair with an employee, and every state employee is a subordinate to the governor. Bad form.
4. He allowed himself to be put in a position where he can be blackmailed. This puts the government at risk, and is one of the reasons often given for not allowing military and high ranking security people to be gay. Gay people should be upset with this.
5. He did not voluntarilly come out, confess his sins, etc... He only did this because he was being blackmailed.
6. I and probably other people wonder if he ever gave in to the blackmail before.
7. He is an embarrasment to the state.
I appreciate Tiggeroo's insight and her thought process, I agree on some of this, but I have to respectfully disagree on a few points.
1. Agreed
2. Possible humiliation to one's kids is really not a good reason to stay in the closet, and a lot of us have parents who have confessed to affairs, straight and gay. Trust me, the kids will live. My father is in jail for something a hell of a lot worse than being gay, it was very public, I survived. So will they. I don't like McGreevey, never have, but I'm not going to fault him for finally admitting the truth about something as personal as sexuality.
3. Agreed
4. This I vehemently disagree with. I don't think an increased risk of blackmail is a reason I've ever heard cited for discriminating against gays in security or in the military? That's a stretch, I don't think gays have cause for concern on that front. All of us are in a position to be blackmailed, for something that may or may not even be true. If you were a public figure, and someone threatened to say that you and your female best friend were lesbian lovers, could you really refute it? Could you prove that you weren't? No way. We're all at risk of being blackmailed.
5. I'm not sure we'll ever know all his reasons for finally coming clean, though clearly the suit pushed him over on it.
6. Good point.
7. Takes more than the failings of one governor to embarrass a state (hey, ask Connecticut!

) I'm definitely not embarrassed to be born and bred New Jersey. One of the richest in the nation, one of the best educated, progressive politics, relatively few children in poverty, free preschool, great produce, beaches, mountains, la da la da.