Paganistan: Notes from the Secret Commonwealth

In Which One Midwest Man-in-Black Confers, Converses & Otherwise Hob-Nobs with his Fellow Hob-Men (& -Women) Concerning the Sundry Ways of the Famed but Ill-Starred Tribe of Witches.

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No We Can't

Some hatreds run deeper than others.

Can a little gay boy grow up to be president of the United States?

Apparently, the answer is no.

 

We've had our first African-American president. There's a possibility that we could be seeing our first Jew in the White House.

As for a woman, a plurality of Americans already have elected a female president, though—in an utterly shameful miscarriage of democracy—our vote was stolen from us by the Electoral College.

But can a gay guy get elected president of the United States, even one that's personable, smart, and charismatic? 

No, and we all know the real reason why not.

 

There was always something quixotic and kind of wistful about Pete Buttigieg's campaign for the presidency. I was never a supporter—I'm sorry, experience matters—but I have to admit that I was surprised at the strength of my own deep sense of personal loss—you could even call it grief—when I heard that he'd decided (and good on him for doing it) to leave the race.

Oh, I understand that there were other issues as well, but here's the sorry fact: The majority of Americans won't vote for a gay man to be president. 

Call it what you want to, but that's hatred.

 

Can a little gay boy grow up to be president some day?

I'm sorry, sweetie, and I can't even begin to articulate the depth of my sorrow to you.

The sad fact is: No, you can't.

 

 

 

Last modified on
Tagged in: homophobia
Poet, scholar and storyteller Steven Posch was raised in the hardwood forests of western Pennsylvania by white-tailed deer. (That's the story, anyway.) He emigrated to Paganistan in 1979 and by sheer dint of personality has become one of Lake Country's foremost men-in-black. He is current keeper of the Minnesota Ooser.

Comments

  • Kile Martz
    Kile Martz Monday, 02 March 2020

    It is, in my opinion, homophobia in the minority communities that has derailed his campaign. That is not to say that homophobia is not pervasive through our society, so that would have been a large hurdle in the general election. He is charismatically and geographically suited to be an attractive running mate, but will his sexual orientation be a deal breaker? We shall see.

  • Steven Posch
    Steven Posch Monday, 02 March 2020

    Not gonna happen. The running mate is going to be a woman and/or an ethnic minority. Everybody knows that gay white men aren't a real minority.

  • Anthony Gresham
    Anthony Gresham Monday, 02 March 2020

    I think he might have enough name recognition now to bag the governorship of Indiana. A couple of terms as Governor and maybe one or two as Senator would help a lot when he makes another go at the White House.

    As for his gayness. Between technical innovations that leave most of us going "Huh" and weather changes that have us all going "What-the-Fuck" I expect the rest of the decade will become increasingly surreal to the point where being gay won't matter so much by 2030.

  • Jamie
    Jamie Monday, 02 March 2020

    Mr. Posch,

    I'll vote for a ham sandwich in November, if it wins the Democratic presidential nomination.

    However, my wife is a huge fan of Mayor Pete, and frankly I like him more than Joe.

    Part of me wants to vote for Bernie as a giant middle finger to the Masters Of The Universe, but the other part is inherently pragmatic and deeply mistrusts ideologues.

  • Steven Posch
    Steven Posch Tuesday, 03 March 2020

    I'd vote for Adolf Hitler if the Dems were to run him, but of course, they can't.
    The Republicans are already running him.

  • Jamie
    Jamie Tuesday, 03 March 2020

    Mr. Posch,

    The MAGA folks laugh at our contempt for their boy, and mockingly say things like, "Orange Man Bad!" and "Trump Derangement Syndrome".

    Well, the Orange Man IS bad. They're unintentionally correct.

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