By Charles Karel Bouley II

On June 30, 2006, the Advocate.com posted a story titled “Schwarzenegger Pledges Friendship to Gay Republicans at L.A. Event…” I read it with great interest and then something strange happened: When I reached the end, I wanted to vomit. I literally wanted to heave my lunch onto my laptop, but since I have a Mac, it’s far too pretty to heave upon.

First, the premise: A group of self-loathing gay people (the only gay or lesbian that could identify with the Republican party has to be self loathing, sorry, it’s true) invite a campaigning governor who lied to them during his last campaign to come and spread more lies. His wife, whose dress was mentioned in the article, oh please, even attended, and she “never goes to these events but when she heard where I was going said, ‘I love those Republicans.’” Oh bully for her.

First the lie. Schwarzenegger told Jay Leno while he was campaigning on the subject of gay marriage he would not “stand in the way” of the Legislature or the people of California if a same-sex marriage bill arrived on his desk. Well, not only did he stand in the way, he downright blocked the marriage equality bill and vetoed it. Yes, he did sign some pro-gay legislation, but I don’t pat people on the back for doing the right thing. You don’t get points for doing your job, that’s what we have you there for, to do your job. It’s your job to make sure all people in your state are treated with dignity, respect, honor and equality under the law. And again, we are not.

There was no talk of this veto, because these gay Republicans were just so damned giddy that Arnold was there. Oh look, the straight guy likes us, he really likes us. Screw that. That man needs to be taken to task not only for his veto of a bill that should have been enacted, but for not speaking out more vociferously against Bush’s campaign for a marriage amendment, for not fulfilling any of his promises, for basically being a Republican pansy boy while in office.

But we must embrace our enemies, right? Hell no. And let’s be clear, Republicans are the enemies of gays and lesbians in this country. They only pander to us, and that’s what they’re doing, when they need something from us: our money, our vote, whatever. But when they don’t need anything from us, they are the first to outlaw us, ban us, reparative therapy us, amend us, and speak about us like we’re not in the room.

As for you Log Cabiners that invited him, oh well, when will you realize you are a dying breed. You stand outside the Republican door and beg for inclusion when it’s clear they don’t want you. Hell, Arnold didn’t even take your money, it went to the 501(c ) 3 arm of your group. Let me tell you what your party, including your governor that you so fawned over, are up to this year. It’s an election year, and they’ve announced their agenda, an American Values Agenda, featuring 10 bills to be introduced over the next few months. And what are those bills? Well, those that live in Log Cabins, your party is putting forth

• Pledge Protection Act, HR 2389
• Freedom to Display the American Flag Act, HR 42
• The Public Expression of Religion Act, HR 2679
• Marriage Amendment, HJ Res 88
• Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act, HR 356
• Human Cloning Prohibition Act, HR 1357
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (BATFE) Reform, 5092
• Internet Gambling Prohibition
• Permanent Tax Relief for Families
• Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act, HR 5013

So basically, they’re coming for gays again with HJ Res 88, they’re going after abortion with HR 356, they’re codifying Christian faith, a faith that for the most part does not accept any gay or lesbian for who they are, with the rest of these. They’re all disgusting, intrusive social policies that say you’re either like us or you don’t belong in America. That’s what Republicans are—don’t give me any of your psychobabble about smaller government, fiscal responsibility and so on. Your party is a theocratic fascist group hell bent on making sure this country stays white, straight and Christian. Don’t believe me, ask any real Republican, one in power. They’re all on the American Values Platform, waiting for the train with their base to arrive and stomp all over our very existence, again.

So you can imagine why I wanted to heave reading a story about gays fawning all over a movie-star governor.

We are in a social civil war people, in case you haven’t noticed. It is truly us against them. The “us” are truly enlightened, educated people who believe in equality on all levels not just for gays and lesbians but anyone that is different in this nation, including the brown people we now bash in the name of immigration. Log Cabin Republicans are nothing more than turncoats, people living in so much denial that they can’t admit the party they claim to love is no longer called Republican. True Republicans died a long time ago, replaced by white theocratic neocons. Wise up.

And as for the governor, we need to send him packing back to Hollywood. He had his chance to help us, and did what he could to help us without pissing off his core, his base. He helped us out, yes, with a few bills here and there, but when it came down to it, to the real equality question, he bailed. Why? Because he’s a Republican, and at their core, they want gays and lesbians either reformed or out of the country. Period, end of story.

I’m glad Arnold and Maria had a fun night with a group of stuffed-shirt homos barking at the door so their party will throw them a scrap. Once the election is over, see how many meetings you’ll get, how many personal appearances by any Republican of import.

Arnold, hopefully your days in Sacramento are numbered. And Log Cabiners, hopefully you’ll seek therapy and realize the Republican party you want doesn’t want you, the party you hope it can become is never going to happen and they will use you and then abuse you without so much as an afterthought. Put your energy to some good use politically, get involved with causes and things that will actually help change things for the better. Otherwise, get out of political activism all together and go back to the Great Outdoors, Sunday Potlucks or whatever you’d be doing if you weren’t falling down and wetting your pants over a man who single-handedly made sure you’ll never be able to get married in the state of California, at least not any time soon.

Karel (Charles Karel Bouley) is a talk show host for KGO AM 810 San Francisco, heard Saturday and Sunday 7-10 p.m. or online at www.kgo.com. He is also heard weekly on the syndicated Bill Press Show (Sirius and others) and on WOAI San Antonio. Each Wednesday he joins Larry Flick for Out Q In the Morning on Sirius, 7 a.m. Pacific. He is a columnist for Advocate.com and his book of essays You Can't Say That is published by Alyson Press. He maintains a blog, podcasts, and message boards at www.karelchannel.com and can be reached at info@karelchannel.com.