Queers and politics

Mary Cheney and Ward Churchill: two Colorado-based renegades at opposite ends of the socio-political spectrum, yet both are equally intriguing.

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's openly queer daughter Mary Cheney remains an enigma. In my view, she either secretly identifies as a guy - in which case, her politics and actions don't contradict with those of most right-wing elites, at all - or, she's obeying her father, family, social class, and political upbringing over her own physical identity, and the differences that she represents, as a strong, independent, intelligent, career-minded, autonomous, woman-loving-woman kind of person.

News articles in progressive media point out Mary Cheney's confounding support of the U.S. Republicans' anti-gay platform and corresponding legislation, yet few seem to ask basic questions about her orientation from a psychological perspective.

Analyzing Cheney's personal and political life, and her lack of pushing the envelope, isn't my interest. What concerns me is how BIG queerdom is going to factor into future North American politics. Beyond the same-sex marriage issue, focusing on alternative sexualities is a powerful way to manipulate and divide the voting public.

Sex sells, right?

Conservatives in both Canada and the U.S. will likely build-up support by pandering to people's traditional or close-minded views of sexuality and gender (think Christian fundamentalists and recent immigrants with old-world values).

Yet, in the very same stroke, I believe the Right will create indirect opportunities to flirt with Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) communities, and appear more 'queer-friendly' - or, at least, less rigid. Consistent emphasis by media on how close Mary Cheney and her partner Heather Poe are to the Cheney family is a case in point. Yet, watch for an overall trend.

If all the above go according to plan, I believe some progressives may even feel comfortably reassured and unthreatened by Republicans and the Bush administration in the U.S., and by Stephen Harper and the New Conservatives in Canada. I'm seeing signs of it already.

I'm not even including the bitter reality of active government infiltration and influencing of queer and progressive communities, right here in Toronto.

Remember: carrot 'n' stick, carrot 'n' stick... Guess who's the stick, in this case? Osama et al - source of all evil. Yet 'Good Cop/Bad Cop' roles are fluid, so they can easily shift (see posts below).

Prime Minister Paul Martin and former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney may also have more in common than we realize. Whether people clue into it or not, the Liberals are facilitating close political, cultural, economic, and military ties to the U.S. With the Liberal party suddenly, and ardently, in favour of same-sex marriage, all the bases are covered - from a conservative, elitist, corporate point of view.


Please see other posts:

'Hello, Mr. Carrot and Mr. Stick'
'Canada-U.S.: Marriage at last'
'Equality mirage'
'Mark Lombardi: Global Networks'
'Many truths'

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Ultra-Conservative Queers

Though it behooves many conservatives, queer folks do exist within their flock. Remember the Kinsey scale?

Mary Cheney, her partner, and probably some of their peers are a few examples. But at the furthest extreme, there are also gay neo-Nazis. As I've pointed out before - much to the consternation of some in the queer community - being gay does not necessarily mean one is politically progressive. Flamboyance can mask ulterior agendas.

There are queers with supremacist views and ideals.[1] Unfortunately, working class queers, who come from broken homes, had abusive childhoods, and may perhaps have a penchant for S&M, are easy recruits for hate-mongering factions. Intelligence agencies and right-wing fundamentalists are both known to support these kinds of groups, indirectly. Not a topic I wish to explore, but just be aware that this isn't as unlikely or uncommon a reality, as one may think. Especially right now.

More discussion to come...

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[1] I don't mean to paint a one-dimensional view. The moles, plants, and enablers I keep referring to are of all types and backgrounds - believe me. I believe rapid increases in the number of moles, and their broadened social diversity, are a direct result of illegal surveillance of myself and many others, during the past few years.