The Bob Allen Tragedy

The Bob Allen trapped in the bathroom stall story has lost it's newsworthy luster. Allen and the controversy should have faded into oblivion. The politician's career will fade into obscurity soon enough. Contrary to Allen's desire to seek public office.

This is no longer about the hypocrisy of Allen's behavior vs his legislation of a bill to increase penalties against public lewdness offenders. Allen is part of the celebrity surreal zone with fellow inhabitants Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan. We are following the Allen saga because it's fun to watch a famous person utterly clueless about his spiraling downfall.

Allen wants to save a reputation beyond repair. Republicans want him to leave the legislature and go back to hiding in the closet. What hasn't been discussed is the impact the media exposure has on Allen's family or the painful struggle many gay conservative men have about their sexuality. What makes a man make laws against behavior he partakes in?

Gay conservative men aren't about to come out of the closet after witnessing the public crucifixion of Allen and Larry Craig. The openly gay Andrew Sullivan is not the norm in the Right-wing movement. Jeff Gannon, Mark Foley and Ted Haggard shows a pattern of men that understand their peers would not accept them for whom they really are. They go to great pains to hide lifestyles that involved minors and prostitution. They live on the edges of gay culture because mainstream homosexuality would force them to confront their true selves. Bob Allen can't walk into a gay bar out of fear he would be recognized or perhaps because he believes he is a red-blooded hetrosexual football-loving alpha male. Happily married straight men don't go cruising public parks seeking to perform oral sex on other men.

Denial is like a narcotic drug. It is a bitch to kick once someone is hooked.