In the Philippines, jailed individuals get to become senators…or would become congressmen for that matter. But in America, a senator was actually arrested, handcuffed and according to Idaho Senator Larry Craig, he "was dragged down" by authorities for suspicion of undertaking lewd conduct in a Minneapolis airport restroom.
I've already seen boxing and barking legislators of the Taiwanese kind on TV, or a nude woman lawmaker somewhere in Italy---but in America, they have a senator that had been arrested and handcuffed for a misdemeanor just like any other citizen who had committed or under suspicion of having committed a malefaction.
In the Philippines, the whole Senate would be up in arms in defense of their comrade, invoking immunity from arrest, whether right or wrong. Nothing happens like that in America. In the Philippines, lawmakers are even trying to free a detained elect-senator. But in America, nothing sort of that happens for they even get arrested in the first place. In the Philippines, only opposition leaning congressman or congresswoman get arrested in the most upsetting manner. In America, nothing like that happens. They get arrested notwithstanding their political leaning. Nobody says "You are under arrest! By the way? Are you a Democrat or a Republican?"
Enough of that "walang ganyan sa America" thing going on in the above-written paragraph.
Senator Craig was arrested for suspicion of soliciting a sexual engagement (of the homosexual kind) in an airport restroom in Minneapolis. The complainant had declared how the senator made veiled gestures to signal a sexual request, particularly that of tapping one of his feet under the door of a toilet stall. Was this enough evidence to pin him down for lewd conduct? Ordinarily, if would have been just an harmless gesture, a meaningless incidental movement of the feet. But apparently, police undercovers were actually monitoring the whole restroom area in the airport where the incident had happened and this particular area had in fact became a featured area in a website that features locations and areas where gay men could link up with each other or solicit sexual engagements. You could say, it was just bad luck that the senator had happened to be there and had made that particular body movement that was known there generally to be one that would signal a request for sexual encounter.
This airport incident had happened about two months ago and was largely hidden from media due to the largely embarrassing nature of the circumstances, especially when it involves a US senator. Senator Larry Craig had already pleaded to a lesser offense just to "do away with it" as he says, and had declared unambiguously how he is not a gay as claimed by a complainant. Note that it is not homosexuality per se that had got him under arrest, but for public lewdness, or suspicion thereof.
All's well that ends well---But somehow, it opens up once again heated debate on homosexuality in these times where as an issue, it had become a well-discussed topic ever since same-sex marriages were finally allowed in some part of America, Europe and Canada. It is an issue that burns headlines once in a while and somehow had already become part of the psyche of the modern individual.
As an issue, it barrages out of the closet and into our mindset in the past decade or so. Is homosexuality going the way of women's right libertinism? Gaining credence after a long drawn struggle for equality and social recognition? Just as womanhood had celebrated the day they had finally gained the right to suffrage and election? With the rate of progress on the homosexuality issue, it seems that this would be the way to go and one day---just maybe one day---same-sex marriage and relationship would be as universal as a man-woman union.
In the movie "The Dead Poet's Society", a character there was lamenting to the main protagonists (Ethan Hawke) how when he was a child, "gay" was such a happy word. But when he had grown up and found out the other meaning of the word--and him being one--it had become a word that had meant ultimate misery for him, of days and days of hiding in the closet, not being able to show his real self and real worth. This is pure misery according to him as he cried away his frustration.
Maybe it is such a difficult feeling; of being gay and not being able to forward such truth of one's self.
I have no inkling about this sentiment whatsoever for I am not one and mostly, I wouldn't be able to fathom such emotional quandary as well as possibly. What is really about gayness that becomes unusual to the eyes and understanding of many, even as society often deems it peculiar and to a certain the extent bizarre.
The bible speaks of "confusion of men" as one wicked incident in an Old Testament era.
But homosexuality as an issue is so part of our modern ways now that everyday, we brush elbows with it, as we let groom our selves in beauty parlors, in the movies and television shows that we watch, in schools, in the neighborhood, in the streets we walk on to---it had become so ordinary like night and day. And yet, homosexuality remains a controversial subject, not easily taken lightly.
To be frank with you, I have no clear mind on this issue. But I recognize it as one significant phenomenon in our modern world, thru same sex marriages and gay right activism---and it couldn't be help that we think about it so often.
Your observation is one thing that sets apart Pinas from a country like the US or Canada for that matter. More often than not, aside from the usual palakasan system , we Pinoys are guilty of misguided compassion. We seem unable to exact justice on erring public figures. Crackdowns such as these are done with high tech surveillance and precision. You can pretty much write in stone that people they arrest are guilty of sexual solicitation. I have no sympathy for perverts who cannot get a handle on their surging hormones and make public washrooms as their playground
Comment by bw — August 30, 2007 @ 3:32 am
hmmm...saying he was forced to 'admit' what he said in June and retract in now. am not sure.
they are more open now than ever. the same sex marriage allowed them to. though majority still remain closeted.
Comment by ipanema — August 30, 2007 @ 4:52 am
Even in our society which is liberal compare, soliciting in public is still a very serious offense.
We tackled the issue of Equality, but it was not easy. It was long, bitter and divisive debate, but in the end the Provision in the Charter, which the challenge was based, The Equality Rights, the courts has now a very clear guidelines to any laws that impedes the equality of all individuals, regardless of anything...
Comment by vic — August 30, 2007 @ 9:21 am
nagresign na nga itong senador sa campaign ng Republicans, di bah? i mean, for a senator, he should have been more discreet and discerning. actuations done in the confines of a public washroom really call for some arrest. gus2 ba niyang mag George Michael part 2?
ang masama pa nito, married pa. hahay...
Comment by intsik — August 30, 2007 @ 11:49 am
It would be a cold day in hell when we see our erring senators and congress people dragged away in handcuffs like common criminals. In these islands, being a politician is akin to being an overlord, or even a god...
Comment by snglguy — August 30, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
To BW:That what was in my mind. It is such a mature system where there are no conditions as to the stature...Maybe as a nation, it is one to emulate.
Comment by Major Tom — August 30, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
To ipanema: In my estimation, the lesser plkea is tantamount to admission but we just could not tell...The embarassment that has gotten to the senator is certainly a punishment enough for him.
Comment by Major Tom — August 30, 2007 @ 2:14 pm
To vic: I believe the main issue here remains to be the misdemeanor of public lewdness that the senator had allegedly committed. But still, question on equality arises. Does the third sex becomes different in their sexual practices. What about on men and women, how does solicitation for sex becomes legal or illegal?
Comment by Major Tom — August 30, 2007 @ 2:17 pm
To intsik" Yun nga ang naiisip kp. He is a senator and shouldn't be in poublic places like that. He has a name to protect. Kahit yung normal male and female, sex solicitation in public is one unideal thing.
Comment by Major Tom — August 30, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
To sngl: Till hell freezes over, ika nga. But let us hope na everything is not helpless. Hoping is a good start no matter what.
Comment by Major Tom — August 30, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
Parang ito yata yung napanood ko sa CNN. If I'm not mistaken, this is the same senator who voted against same sex marriage and other bills giving homosexuals more rights. This reminds of the time Sen. Drilon was asked to remove his shoes at an airport abroad. While it does strip them of the dignity of their office, somehow some of us are glad that they are being treated like the rest of us are. Just because they're in power doesn't make them invincible.
Comment by ladybug — August 31, 2007 @ 1:37 am
In America, politicians, show biz celebrities, big businessmen, millionaires are jailed for laws they violate. Dito, only hapless, helpless citizens bear the full brunt of it. Whatever happened to: "those who have less in life should have more in law." Funny if not so tragic.
Homosexuality -- i like to think that any relationship based on love is beautiful.
Comment by annamanila — September 1, 2007 @ 1:07 am
Si Revilla nga eh may 80 plus na anak... proud na proud pa.
Comment by Richmond — September 1, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
To ladybug: I feel like we as a nation is still trapped in a feudalists form of social mindset. It is time to change...
Comment by Major Tom — September 1, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
To annamanila: If only love is such an absolutely carefree emotion, then we won't have to be wrroied if some love can be so good, then some can be so bad...
Comment by Major Tom — September 1, 2007 @ 7:54 pm
To richmond: He can't help it, perhaps...
Comment by Major Tom — September 1, 2007 @ 7:56 pm
major tom, although prostitution is legal here, solicitation in public is illegal, either by male, female or gay prostitute.
That is still the point in law that is being debated now and will be subject to inquiry after the trial of One Pickton of B.C. charged with murdering dozens of Prostitutes, the safety of oldest profession. I have some idea that soliciting will soon be struck or there will be designated red light districts or some kind of reform to the law.
Comment by vic — September 1, 2007 @ 9:20 pm
also to add, even taking pics of cleavage without the subject permission or approval is a no-no and could be charged of public lewdness or I still have to figure out whatelse. but my question to the senator if it was true, why not just go the the gay bar, my gosh, he can wear a disguise is he wants to go undercover. That's the problem in the U.S., our lawmakers here are already getting married to their same sex partners and their u.s. counterparts are still embarrass to admit their "gayness".
Comment by vic — September 1, 2007 @ 9:30 pm
This reminds me of the old George Michael public bathroom incident in Los Angeles. Anyway, the irony with this senator is that he is known to espouse incredibly conservative and homophobic stances. Seems like closeted homosexuals in powerful high profile positions tend to crucify fellow homosexuals to the max. An anti-gay Christian church leader was also discovered to have been engaged in soliciting teenage boys in the Internet. Good lord!
Comment by eric — September 2, 2007 @ 6:41 am
Onga! Walang ganyan sa states! Here politicians are somewhat abit above society no matter how dirty they can get.
And gay rights here in the Philippines? being a devout catholic country in general, it may be too far for us to have the same rights in the US.
Comment by Ferdz — September 2, 2007 @ 6:04 pm
To vic: For certain, it is one doable idea, to restrict solicitation even if prostitution is legal for they go hand in hand---prostitution would always mean public solicitation otherwise it would be just personal trysts. There's must be sonme regulations on these no matter what---it couldn't be left so wide open.
Comment by Major Tom — September 3, 2007 @ 2:48 am
To eric: Mysteries unraveling the truth in the end...just like in Scooby Doo shows or Hardy Boys stories this happenstances seems like therefore.
We never really knew who Senator Craig was and what he was really aiming for, being such a low-key pol from a low-key state.
Comment by Major Tom — September 3, 2007 @ 2:54 am
To Ferdz: That's what I feel also (on gay rights) but we'll never know---time is so fast changing I feel nowadays; everything changes in fact nowadays, the streets we see everyday, the faces of showbiz personalitites, the color of money, the dresses people wear...everything.
Comment by Major Tom — September 3, 2007 @ 2:57 am