Yet Another Story About Male Senators And Lesbianism

Atrios writes here about Tom Coburn, the Republican senatorial candidate in Oklahoma. Coburn recently said this:

"You know, Josh Burkeen is our rep down here in the southeast area. He lives in Colgate and travels out of Atoka. He was telling me lesbianism is so rampant in some of the schools in southeast Oklahoma that they only let one girl go to the bathroom. Now think about it. Think about that issue. How is it that that's happened to us? How it is that our leaders—[tape ends]"

This reminds me of my own encounter involving the US Senate, bathrooms, and the dangers of lesbianism.

I grew up outside Washington, D.C., and went to junior high school with the son of a male senator—a senator who was one of the leading forces in efforts to keep gays and lesbians out of the military.

One day someone brought a copy of Hustler into school, and between classes we went into a bathroom and gathered around to give it the close examination it deserved. As we flipped through it, the senator's son remarked: "Wow, lesbians really turn me on."

I remember thinking two things:

1. I hear you, my brother.

2. Uh...is this why your family is so concerned about gays and lesbians in the military? Are you worried America's lesbians will all join the army and there won't be any left to appear in Hustler? Is that what this odd fixation of your father's is about—the threat of a Lesbian Shortage?

Likewise, in public Tom Coburn will talk trash about lesbianism. But I suspect his real concern is the Oklahoma girls are doing it in bathrooms, where he can't see.

Thus, I have come up with this slogan for Coburn and his senatorial ilk: "We hate the sinner, but LOVE the sin."