Was Family Values GOPer At Gay Club Before Drunk Driving Arrest?

Well, Yes, apparently he was indeed at a gay nightclub. But before we all chuckle too much about the misfortune and humiliation of this man, perhaps we should see this for what it is. Self-loathing caused by a society that is so terribly cruel to those of its members who are "different" and seen as a threat for whatever reasons; skin color, nationality, religion, sexual orientation. 

This man is as much a victim of the kind of hate speech and fear-mongering directed at Gays and Lesbiens as openly gay people are. Certainly he is guilty of a lack of integrity and hypocrisy. He would not need to be guilty of any of these things if he as a young man felt he could have been honest about who he is. 

He has my deepest sympathy. Even the DUI can be explained, if not legally forgiven, by his deeply felt inner conflict.

Zachary Roth | March 4, 2010, 9:17AM

A California Republican family values legislator who was arrested early Wednesday morning for drunk driving had recently left a gay club, sources tell a local news channel.

State senator Roy Ashburn was pulled over by the California Highway Patrol on Wednesday at 2am in Sacramento, after police saw the car he was driving swerving erratically. An unidentified male passenger was in the car with Ashburn.

The sources told CBS13 that Ashburn, a father of four, had that night been at Faces, which touts itself as "Sacramento's premier GLBTI Nightclub since 1985."

Ashburn was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, and driving with a blood alcohol level higher than .08 percent -- both misdemeanors. He was released from jail on $1400 bond.

Ashburn, who has a history of opposing gay rights, issued a contrite apology for the drunk driving arrest yesterday. "I am deeply sorry for my actions and offer no excuse for my poor judgment," he said in a statement. "I accept complete responsibility for my conduct and am prepared to accept the consequences for what I did."

Ashburn's Senate term ends this year. He represents parts of Kern and Tulare counties, in the central part of the state.

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Let The Sun Shine In......

GOP: You Either Believe in Democracy for Both Iran and U.S. or You Don't Believe in Democracy

We, the American people, could learn a few things from the Iranians or did they learn something from us back in the 60s, when some of us gave a damn.

by Chad Rubel

"The people... believe in democracy... They believe in the rule of law, and they -- I think they believe that this election's been stolen."

"... should speak out that this is a corrupt, fraud, sham of an election." "The... people have been deprived of their rights." "But item number one is giving the... people a free and fair election."

"We stand with the people... in their struggle to participate in a democratic election and who deserve the right to freely assemble and voice their opposition to its questionable outcome."

These three remarks speak to the belief that in democracy, fair elections should be run that reflect the will of the people.

So who are these lefty, pinko, crazed politicians? Why, they are House Minority Leader John Boehner, former presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor.
But here's the catch: they don't believe in that for us in the United States, but for those in Iran.

Here are the full quotes:

"The people in Iran believe in democracy," Boehner told Wolf Blitzer. "They believe in the rule of law, and they -- I think they believe that this election's been stolen."

"He (Obama) should speak out that this is a corrupt, fraud, sham of an election," said McCain on

NBC's "Today" show. "The Iranian people have been deprived of their rights."

"I think it's possible to engage. But item number one is giving the Iranian people a free and fair election," he said.

"We stand with the people of Iran in their struggle to participate in a democratic election and who deserve the right to freely assemble and voice their opposition to its questionable outcome," said

Eric Cantor, House Minority Whip.

Where was this Republican outcry in 2000 or 2004? The Iranian government has called for a partial recount, just like the Bush team wanted in 2000.

And this doesn't even dive into irregularities over preventing and deterring people from getting to vote in all of the above cases.

Republicans are fond of being more concerned about those in other countries rather than focus on those at home. Democrats haven't been completely blameless, either, often going along with their misguided policies.

One of the frustrations -- for regular, non-Washington people who identify with the Republican and Democratic monikers -- is that their priorities are low on the list compared to those in other countries. The politicians in Washington of both stripes are more concerned about the democratic process in Iran than they are about the democratic process in the United States.

By far, though, Republicans make up the majority of those at fault with democracy in the U.S. This makes the statements at the top of the page even more hypocritical and pathetic than normal.

George W. Bush preached about spreading democracy to the Middle East. But what kind of democracy is that? The kind in the history books in the U.S.? The reality of the U.S. democracy in the early 21st century? The kind where people take to the streets to protest election irregularities?

If top Republicans are going to step up for democracy in Iran, and ignore the will of the people of Minnesota in 2008 and the people of the United States in 2000 and 2004, then they don't really believe in democracy. And they should stop pretending otherwise.

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Let The Sun Shine In......