This is fabulous: Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry — a name frequently tossed around for the governor’s race — will speak to a Republican group at a gay bar in Denver next week. He told the Denver Post, “I don’t care… I’m happy to speak to the (Denver Metro) Young Republicans at the venue they chose.”
What’s great about this is that the YRs chose the location not to make any sort of political statement, but simply for reasons of capitalism.
Thomas James, president of the Young Republicans, said the group chose Hamburger Mary’s in Denver because “they have a suitable layout for a speaker-type event, and they have good food, a good location relative to downtown, and free parking nearby.”
If the GOP can get friendly with homosexuals, and homosexuals can get friendly with capitalists, that will be a very good thing. It would at least be a huge improvement over Senator Scott Renfroe’s bigoted remarks on the Senate floor.
In other Colorado news, Ted Haggard, the former mega-church preacher who has admitted to buying illegal drugs from a male prostitute, will appear on “Divorce Court” today with his wife. I thought for a second he might actually be getting a divorce, which would serve him right. Instead, his wife said, “This is part of Ted’s journey. It’s made him a better man. I see what has happened as a divine rescue.”
Now I have the perfect line for the next time I irritate my wife. “But, hun, it’s just part of my journey!”
Also, I saw Milk a few days ago, the film about the San Francisco gay activist and politician. I disagree with Milk on most political issues, except for his big ones: homosexuals should have the same rights as everybody else, including the right not to be harassed by the police. I find his story inspiring simply because of his dedication in the face of threats, slanders, and long odds.
From Marilyn Musgrave to Josh Penry. What a difference an election makes!