As a variety of apologists step forward to laud Governor McGreevey for his allegedly courageous public coming out, he has offered his own feeble public defense in the New York Times (requires registration) of his remarkably transparent attempt to gain sympathy for his alleged victimization in order to avoid condemnation for old-fashioned corruption. His announcement led many to ask, “So why should he resign just because he’s gay? The guy’s being persecuted.” There’s no good reason to resign over sexuality. But there’s plenty of reason to resign to avoid charges of blatant corruption (such as appointing your unqualified boyfriend to be state director of homeland security).
Here’s what the Governor wrote:
“While there are many different and sometimes competing influences, it is my humble hope that my ‘coming out’ could, in some small way, help those gay Americans who have yet to become open with their sexuality. To be gay, for me, was not a choice, but simply stating a reality. Now at peace with arguably one of the most important truths of my life, it is my prayer that I will now be free to live openly and integrate my sexuality with my daily life. This integration will hopefully help my actions, my thoughts and my heart to be in alignment going forward, keeping me from the pitfalls of a divided self or secret truths.”
McGreevey hasn’t done anything to “help those gay Americans who have yet to become open with their sexuality” or to increase public acceptance of the dignity of homosexual people. He’s used all of us to deflect attention from his misuse of office (and to keep the state government and the state’s presidential electoral votes safely in the hands of his party by avoiding a gubernatorial election on the same day as the federal election). I have zero sympathy for someone who would use me as a shield for his own corruption. James E. McGreevey is neither a victim nor brave. James E. McGreevey is a despicable lout.
I beg to differ. I think that McGreevey did his state and nation a service by immolating himself in his combined coming out/resignation. Otherwise, he would have rendered even more dangerous services to what was probably an Israeli Intelligence penetration arranged in part by the extortionist Charles Kushner. Golan (named after Syrian land the Israelis stole two years before his birth) Cipel may well be straight – he slept with the Governor twenty times because he *rose* to the occasion of his duties as a spy/whore. Give McGreevey some credit: the poodle slipped his leash.
This is a very interesting commentary, Dr. Palmer. When I googled McGreevey and found that he led the fight against gay marriage in NJ a couple of years ago, I lost any respect for his “courageous struggle.” He, like most politicians, is not a “conflicted human” first, but a sophist and a self-centered opportunist.
I agree that this was a cowardly act. He seems to have no respect for his wife and children and even less respect for the office he holds. Using his homosexuality as a cover can do nothing but damage to the gay community.
I couldn’t disagree more with the negative comments made towards Jim McGreevey. He represents millions of gay men and women who are forced to live double lives because there is still so much ignorance,predudice, and violence inflicted upon them. Jim McGreevey, like us all, is a flawed human being, but I believe history will record him as ultimately decent and brave, an example of a talented,good man victimized by a society that has yet to count all it’s people as equally deserving of respect and justice.-R.