Ultimately, we hate to love him — but we do, Momma! We do! As a Republican conservative, Sullivan is a true-believer and tends to see a halo around everything America does in the world. As a truly decent, truly thinks-for-himself kind of guy, he draws the line at torture camps and right-wing homo hatred. You may think that’s an easy call, but not for the fans of George W. Bush, even publically out gay ones like Sullivan. On the Republicans’ current campaign to savage gays at every possible turn, Sullivan has spoken out long, loud and — yes!– brilliantly. Here’s Andrew a few days ago on the Terri Schiavo Horror Show. (Schiavo died this morning.):
"Until now, most people haven’t seen the theocratic tendencies in today’s GOP. The religious right has focused on abortion (which affects a small minority) and gays (ditto). But the right to die affects everyone. Suddenly the willingness of the far right to use the full weight of government to impose their views comes to light. Now many people get a taste of how gays feel. And a chill up their spine."
A person who is mostly wrong and misinformed, by the law of averages, will occasionally be correct about something.
Watching him make an ass out of himself on Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO moves me to screaming at the top of my lungs, much in the same way I scream at Tom DeLay when he’s saying things that defy simple logic, questioning whether their bodies contain a human soul at all, much less a functioning brain.
If Andrew wasn’t gay and obviously good-looking, I hardly think most of the homos would afford him half the amount of time of day he’s gotten. With everything else he’s talked about (aside from gay rights and torture), I have to write him off as our very own Uncle Tom or Anne Coulter. You choose your poison there.
I, for one, won’t be having any of it…
I love Andrew Sullivan–without guilt or regret. Reading his books helped me come to terms with my sexuality after years of denial, guilt and confusion. Although not a Republican, I am a small-government, pro-individual rights, Objectivistm libertarian–which I suppose puts me in the political minority with regards to my gay brothers and sisters. Still, my views politically are in harmony with many of Andrew’s views, so I can’t help but like the guy.
By the way, I discovered this website because Andrew plugged in on his blog.
He’s smart, but yes, also an Uncle Tom who seems to want to be part of a club that will never have him.