Bitter breakup

There hasn't been a time in modern history when gays haven't been persecuted. We've been ignored, marginalized, demonized, dehumanized. I am not a one-issue Democrat who would shun common sense for the party line, but Andrew Sullivan's column "The Deal-Breaker" [Against the Current, May 11] shows his lack of understanding when it comes to Democrats and their values.

It's great that he has reached his limit and is not supporting George W. this election, but I think he was foolish to have not supported gay-friendly Gore in 2000. I'm not psychic, but most members of the gay community and I were intelligent enough to see through "compassionate conservatism" prior to the election debacle. The GOP has been in bed with right-wing Christian fundamentalists for nearly a quarter-century. To vote for a Republican at any moment is almost guaranteed to be a vote against yourself if you happen to be socially progressive.

Though I agree with Sullivan that we cannot support George W. and expect to trove any rights left, I feel he needs to learn facts rather than talking points. Most people need to learn that they are not in the top 1% income bracket that would have its tax cuts reversed under Democratic leadership. Fiscal conservatism no longer belongs to the GOP. After the debt George W. has racked up and the return to the big government days of his daddy, Republican can no longer claim those values. They belong on the Democratic National Committee's platform now. Political paradigms are shifting.

Andrew Sullivan needs to realize that conservatism will never be safe for gays--at least not as long as the nation's current conservative ideologues continue dominating social policy.

Patrick Brown, Duncan, Okla.

Let me get this (ahem) straight: Even though Andrew Sullivan feels hurt and betrayed by Bush's support of the Federal Marriage Amendment, he still supports Bash's "war on terror"? No sense of betrayal about a war begun trader false pretenses that has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Americans?

Hey, I would love to be able to marry my partner just as much as the next queer, but, damn, those are some messed-up priorities, Sully.

Mike Hansen, Fremont, Calif.

In 2000, Sullivan and other gay conservatives helped to paint the Republican lie that seminal orientation was no longer a partisan issue. By ignoring the place at the table offered by Clinton-Gore and glorifying the scraps thrown from the table of the Bush-Cheney campaign, these pied pipers helped steer millions of gay votes toward the homophobic GOP.

For the past four years, while portraying himself as a good Catholic, Sullivan cheered as Bush trashed the environment, attacked an unarmed country based upon lies, and ignored the needs of the poor. Only now, when tax breaks for him and his partner are on the line, does he decide to put down his pom-poms. By operating in a mode of absolute self-interest while giving lip service to Christian values, Sullivan has earned the title of a true conservative.

Timothy Grant, Los Angeles, Calif.

We have a president who supports a discriminatory constitutional amendment solely because people like Sullivan endorsed and voted for him! Candidate Bush made it very clear, to those paying attention, that he would be siding with the Right on most issues. Therefore I don't blame the president for his recent endorsement. Instead, I blame Sullivan and those like him who voted to put Bush into office. It's common sense that it' a man buys a mean junkyard dog and that dog bites someone, the dog doesn't get sued--the purchaser gets sued! I have no sympathy for Sullivan if he is feeling "betrayed," "abused," and "attacked." What he should instead be feeling is "silly," "ashamed," and "utterly disingenuous."

Andrew Brewer, New York, N. Y.

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