Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 1:28pm

The First Gay President

 

Some things truly do not need any commentary, but this is too sweet a target to forego the obligatory ducks in a barrel:

1.  Somebody buy our rag, please!:  Newsweek has been suffering financial woes for a very long time.  Since 2007 it has lost 50% of its subscribers.  I assume that the management at Newsweek now thinks they have nothing to lose from being an open arm of the Democrat party, rather than a hidden arm of that party, which was their usual mode of operation in the good old days, for them, when the magazine actually managed to make money.

2.  Bubble people:  The powers that be at Newsweek obviously live in an ideological bubble where calling Obama the First Gay President will help him.  Most of the country does not inhabit that bubble.

3.  Halo Twofer:  The halo above the President is of course no accident.  The folks at Newsweek regard Obama as a saint, if not higher in the celestial hierarchy.  As for gays, they are by definition on the side of the angels, a somewhat patronizing attitude on TV these days where gays are trotted out to deliver lines filled with wit, wisdom and tolerance, occupying the slot previously alloted in television land decades ago to ministers, priests, nuns and rabbis.

4.  Not a Put On:  No clever satire is intended by Newsweek.  They are in deadly earnest.  More is the pity.

5.  The meaning of Gay:  Judging from my teenage daughter’s use of the term, “gay”, among the younger generation, frequently means “lame” or “weak”.  In that sense Obama is most assuredly a gay president, albeit far from the first one.

6.  Gynecologist Sullivan:  Andrew Sullivan, the author held responsible for this amazing piece, has been noted over the past few years chiefly for his fascination with the gynecology of Sarah Palin, particularly in regard to the birth of Trig Palin.  Now he has branched out to sexual orientation conversion therapy apparently.  Be careful President Obama, be very careful!

7.  Conservative and Catholic:  Mr. Sullivan, pro-abort, homosexual activist and ardent Obama supporter, claims to be both a conservative and a Catholic.  I have little doubt that he is about as much a Catholic as he is a conservative.

8.  Gay Pope:  It is small potatoes for Sullivan to claim that Obama is a gay President , since he has already claimed that Pope Benedict is gay.  He came to this belief through stereotypes and his skill as a psychologist.  (And you thought he was just a gynecologist!)

At times, it seems to me, his gayness is almost wince-inducing. The prissy fastidiousness, the effeminate voice, the fixation on liturgy and ritual, and the over-the-top clothing accessories are one thing. But what resonates with me the most is a theology that seems crafted from solitary introspection into a perfect, abstract unity of belief. It is so perfect it reflects a life of withdrawal from the world of human relationship, rather than an interaction with it. Of course, this kind of work is not inherently homosexual; but I have known so many repressed gay men who can only live without severe pain in the world if they create a perfect abstraction of what it is, and what their role is in it.

Truly Sullivan is a man of many talents and his manifold skills are wasted as a contributor to a dying newsmagazine that mainly serves as liner for litter boxes and birdcages.

9.  Helpful Hints:  I do hope that Newsweek will continue on with this line of assistance for Mr. Obama during the current year.  Further “firsts” they might consider:  First Atheist President, First Nobel Prize for Breathing President, First Light Worker President, First Dog Eating President, First President to Make Michelle Proud to be an American, and the list could go on for considerable length.

10. Buy Newsweek:  I urge all our readers to run out and buy a copy of this issue.  One day your grandkids will be asking you in bewilderment just how Obama became President of these United States and you can point at that cover and say, “One picture is worth more than a thousand words.”

0 0 votes
Article Rating
63 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Paul Primavera
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 5:58am

“Truly Sullivan is a man of many talents and his manifold skills are wasted as a contributor to a dying newsmagazine that mainly serves as liner for litter boxes and birdcages.”

My two cats, Worf and Gabby,” have more self-respect than to enter a litter box lined with the trappings of that rag. Nor would the human whom they own insult them in such a fashion by so lining their litter box.

😉

Elaine Krewer
Admin
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 6:14am

Since Bill Clinton already claimed the title of “first black president” (bestowed upon him by author Toni Morrison) I guess Obama had to claim “first gay president.” Perhaps the people behind the “war on women” meme will next try to claim he’s the “first woman president” because he is the first to truly understand just how desperately women need abortion on demand and free birth control….

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 6:20am

The worst POTUS (Who thought it was possible to be worse than Carter?) is the second black POTUS.

AS is one of the vile 13 lousiest oxygen thieves on the planet.

Lucifer is an archangel of many talents and manifest . . .

G-Veg
G-Veg
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 6:24am

Confusing polls suggesting that urban and suburban Americans are OK with same sex marriage with the thinking that we are active supporters of the practice is a grave error that is being made all over the Left.

Most of the people I know are no more sympathetic to gay activism than they are to my belief that marriage can only exist between a man and a woman. They simply don’t care and don’t want to discuss it. The subject is so far down on their lists of concerns that it barely registers.

This is bad for activists on both sides of the spectrum and begs the question “what are the President’s handlers thinking?”

The timing iof this devisive foray into the Social Wars is particularly mind-boggling when youconsider the issues that the President controls that resonate with middle-age, somewhat religious, married, parents. Hehas the GOP over a barrel over student loan debt but dumped the issue just as it got interesting. He has Republicans over taxes for the wealthybut dropped that issue just when the GOPwas running out of ammunition.

His campaign staff must be more out of touch than I thought.

Art Deco
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 6:43am

I assume that the management at Newsweek now thinks they have nothing to lose from being an open arm of the Democrat party, rather than a hidden arm of that party, which was their usual mode of operation in the good old days, for them, when the magazine actually managed to make money.

That was Jon Meacham’s plan during their first round of re-invention. The problem was that they had a staff which thought and wrote in the manner of people recruited and trained to produce reportage rather than essays and commentary. It gave you an appreciation of an organ like The New Republic whose (much smaller) staff knows how to write this stuff. The magazine was explicitly liberal (and smug and banal and bigoted rather like … Jon Meacham). Their current editor seems to wish to re-invent Newsweek as a close kin to New York.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 7:25am

On August 2, 2010, 91 year-old, billionaire Sidney Harmon (of Harmao/Kardon) paid the Wa Post Co. $1.00 for Newsweek.

Sidney was robbed.

Joe Green
Joe Green
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 7:31am

Don, perhaps the title fits and Obama is or was a bit light in the shoes. But his sexual orientation, while now perhaps suspect, is not the story. As the Chicago Tribune headlined, “Obama’s gay marriage stance sets off money rush” According to Lawrence O’Donnell, 1 out of 6 of Obama’s fundraisers is gay.

I’m not fan of Alexander Cockburn, but he did have an interesting take on the matter: “So the liberal progressives glory in Obama’s ‘courage’ and many a doubting heart about the President’s betrayals is lighter and more forgiving. Trashing the constitution, green-lighting torture, claiming the unilateral right to order the execution of anyone, anywhere on the planet… wiped clean off the windscreen.”

Jonathan
Jonathan
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 7:44am

Rather attractive, but frightening, breastfeeding Mom, or angelic gay Obama with gay halo…

That’s just too tough a call to make.

Phillip
Phillip
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 8:38am

Brokeback Barack. Newsweek can’t quit him.

Paul W Primavera
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 8:45am

“Brokeback Barack” – Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! LOL!

PM
PM
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 8:50am

Here we go again with the misplaced brain problem. Above the shoulders, sir.

” But what resonates with me the most is a theology that seems crafted from solitary introspection into a perfect, abstract unity of belief. It is so perfect it reflects a life of withdrawal from the world of human relationship, rather than an interaction with it. Of course, this kind of work is not inherently homosexual; ”

‘solitary introspection’ – what? study and teaching of God’s Word and Church Fathers would prohibit misplaced brainwork of me, myself, and I.

‘life of withdrawal from the world of human relationship’ – what, you mean chaste for the sake of integrity, prayer and finding ways to communicate help for the human race for God? Trying to relate this to us from a pure love…

‘this kind of work’ – A courageous man who can bear arrows of hatefulness and still care for God’s people and their souls so that they can find eternal rest from this kind of onslaught by servants of you know who.

Mike the Geek
Mike the Geek
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 10:32am

This may be this campaign’s Dukakis-in-a-tank moment. I hope someone in the opposition has the brains to buy every copy of Newsweek they can get their hands on for use later.

trackback
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 11:48am

[…] The First Gay President – Donald R. McClarey, The American Catholic […]

Mary De Voe
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 2:35pm

The gay agenda stole the rainbow colors from the Rainbow Coalition, an organization working for the advancement of Black People. Unbeknownst, Barack is playing the race card. Newsweek is enabling Obama. The Rainbow Coalition should take back their Rainbow. Let the gays find their own.

Pinky
Pinky
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 2:37pm

Not the First Dog-Eating President! That honor goes to James Buchanan. He was said to be discreet about it, but it was common knowledge among his friends. There are also rumors about Lincoln. Historians have speculated that this was the cause of the strain on Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln’s marraige. The Dog Nabbin’ Republicans, a group of pro-canine-eating GOP’ers, derived their name from this speculation.

Mary De Voe
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 2:52pm

8 Gay Pope. I remember when the Pope was so maligned. It was insinuated that the Pope was a practicing gay. I did not know that it was Andrew Sullivan. Let the plagiarist, intellectual property theif be brought to Justice.

Mary De Voe
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 3:06pm

If Obama is so holy, he does not need a health care plan, he can heal the sick and raise the dead all by himself, and for free, so what is he waiting for? after the election when he has more flexibilty? that would be extortion, sometimes called black male.

Kristin
Kristin
Monday, May 14, AD 2012 9:09pm

…what.

When I first glanced at this picture, I thought it was from an extreme right-wing magazine. This has to be the most unintentionally embarrassing cover I’ve ever seen. I actually feel kind of bad for Obama.

So if I became the first female president and advocated men’s rights, would I be just another male president?

Phillip
Phillip
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 4:53am

“So if I became the first female president and advocated men’s rights, would I be just another male president?”

Its not that easy. Will you be advocating white, black, Hispanic or Asian rights? Will they be gay or strait rights? Will men be able to marry their pets? These things are important.

You obviously are not a sophisticate. 😉

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 5:47am

The evil POTUS and his cynical puppeteers may have provided us with yet another “teachable moment.”

The black (separate but equal) churches talk the talk on Biblical morality in many contemporary arenas.

In November, we will learn if the black man and woman walks the walk.

Mary De Voe
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 8:21am

“Will men be able to marry their pets?” When the taxpayers are forced to fund the codification of such an abomination, the human being, man, has been redefined as a demon. When men do demonic acts, they will go to hell, but to extort money and legalize crime and codify sin as the true nature of man is a lie. People who tell lies are called liars.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 7:36pm

You are excoriating Obama for the simple dignity of him recognizing the humanity of those who live a different lifestyle as yours. For almost fifty years, I was a very devout Catholic, but am now a lapsed Catholic because of hypocrisy like the opinions expressed here. Believe me, Jesus Christ would not have marginalized a person because they were gay. Unfortunately, though, the Catholic church today is more about rules and bureaucracy than it is about the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. That’s why I’m lapsed.

Phillip
Phillip
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 7:44pm

While he wouldn’t have marginalized the homosexual, Jesus would have condemned the sin and admonished the person not to sin again. The ultimate marginalization actually is the work of the person who, through sin, marginalizes himself from God. The ultimate marginalization of course is going to Hell. Something Jesus does not wish, but which he allows humans, in their freedom, to choose.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 8:48pm

Phillip/Donald:

You have such archaic views of Catholicism and Christ. To me, my personal Jesus was an accepting liberal who fought for the disenfranchised and marginalized –in his time, the lepers, the prostitutes et al. It’s all in the bible.

The fact of the matter is, today’s Catholic church is more about following stupid rules like not eating meat on Friday’s during lent or fasting before Communion or stupid rituals during a boring “celebration” of the mass that. It’s about time the church got a little “real” in understanding that Catholicism is not about rules and regulations but about liberation for all humanity.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 8:49pm

“The ultimate marginalization of course is going to Hell.”

C’mon, do you really believe that a good and loving God would create a Hell to punish and torture his own creatures? That’s up there with Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast!

Dante alighieri
Admin
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 9:04pm

To me, my personal Jesus

Me, my, personal. Preening individualistic narcism expressed in one succinct sentence.

Pick up the receiver. I’m sure someone can make you a believer.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 9:12pm

You don’t get it, my friend.

There’s a little bit of Jesus in each of us just yearning to come out and express himself. He’s a powerful presence who has been misinterpreted in so many ways by oh so many well-meaning people.

Kristin
Kristin
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 9:44pm

“You have such archaic views of Catholicism and Christ.”

Have Catholicism and Christ changed? Or are you talking about your personal Jesus?

“There’s a little bit of Jesus in each of us just yearning to come out and express himself. He’s a powerful presence who has been misinterpreted in so many ways by oh so many well-meaning people.”

How do you know you’re not misinterpreting him?

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 9:59pm

No Catholicism and Christ haven’t changed, just the people who interpret them. All I can say is that I have a very personal understanding of Jesus. That’s what we call faith. Do you think your faith is better than mine?

Paul W. Primavera
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 10:04pm

Roger, Your personal understanding – and mine – count not in the least. Narcissic hippified luv-in kumbaya nonsense. Sorry. Can’t help myself. I will now crawl to my corner for penance. 😉

Jesus Christ died a brutal death on a Cross to save men from sin like homosexual perversion and abortion and adultery and fornication. Righteousness and holiness come first.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 10:06pm

OMG! We should be very proud of ourselves, Paul. We’ve been the first two human beings to connect via a wormhole. What century is it you’re from, the 12th or 13th?

PM
PM
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 10:15pm

@ 8:48
‘ The fact of the matter is, today’s Catholic church is more about following stupid rules like not eating meat on Friday’s during lent or fasting before Communion or stupid rituals during a boring “celebration” of the mass that. It’s about time the church got a little “real” in understanding that Catholicism is not about rules and regulations but about liberation for all humanity. ‘

The Catholic Church, following the teachings of Jesus who was with God our Father before the world was created as He said, serves to protect, hallow, and teach God’s law for the love of humanity. Humanity chooses whether or not to strive to be holy or sinful. Striving to be holy, not given to being a slave to things of the flesh and world, is true liberation. Read Job, Isaiah, about Moses, Daniel, about Jonah, and the people in the Gospels you mention; courage, strength, going and sinning no more, learning about the depth of love for and by God as a gauge to what depth and richness there is for humanity to be found in the Catholic Church.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 10:19pm

There’s a tremendous amount of humanity in the teachings of Jesus Christ and I cherish that. But most of the rules of the Catholic church have nothing to do with the teachings of Christ. They were made many years after his death. And the fact that in my generation in the US, the nuns filled us with guilt to get in line and follow Christ, in my opinion, was a perversion of his true message.

PM
PM
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 10:26pm

@ 10:19
All the ‘perversions of His true message’ are probably a reason to thank Him for teaching the Lord’s Prayer, a way to order priorities.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 10:31pm

Okay, here’s what it says:
Our Father is in heaven – got it
Holy be thy name – agreed.
They Kingdom Come – agreed
They will be done — ok
On earth as it is heaven – ok
Give us this day our daily bread – hopefully, if the republicans don’t take over!
And forgive us our trespasses – yes, the basic message of JC was forgiveness
As we forgive those who trespass against us – the basic essence of Christ’s message
And lead us not into temptation – hopefully
and deliver us from evil – of course
Amen.

Ok, agreed, it’s a masterpiece. But don’t see there how it answers the question I posed: i.e why was our generation of Catholics brought up on a foundation of guilt rather than of liberation?

PM
PM
Tuesday, May 15, AD 2012 11:59pm

First, The Lord’s Prayer is a prayer from someone to our Father, not a statement.

See Matthew 6: 5 – 21. Or the whole Gospel, even the four Gospels for help.

Verses 9 – 13:
Our Father in Heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
and do not subject us to the final test,
but deliver us from the evil one.

Your question:
Verses 14 – 15:
If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.(liberation?)
But if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.

Phillip
Phillip
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 5:23am

“…and deliver us from evil – of course”

I’ve slept quite restfully during the night. Have not missed anything that I have not read in the National Catholic Reporter or heard from 70’s era priests. Donald et al have given a more than adequate defense.

My only addition is that there is evil. The assaults on the Truth of the Church over the past 50 years are indeed evil and exemplified in those 70’s sentiments on display here.

Hell indeed exists. Thankfully mercy and forgiveness first. But nonetheless Hell for those who resist the Holy Spirit.

Art Deco
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 8:23am

But most of the rules of the Catholic church have nothing to do with the teachings of Christ. They were made many years after his death. And the fact that in my generation in the US, the nuns filled us with guilt

Boo hoo.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 8:30am

“Boo hoo.”

I’m certainly not crying over it, but trying to respond intelligently and with a spiritual sensitivity. BTW: guilt is usually used as a weapon when someone wants to control you and keep you in your place.

Paul W Primavera
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 8:38am

Guilt is the condition of being in a state of unrepentent mortal sin. Only the blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross may serve as the expiation for sin.

Don’t want to feel guilty? Stop sinning and start repenting!

No one gets into Heaven without righteousness and holiness.

Paul W Primavera
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 9:13am

In response to Roger’s previous question last night, “What century is it you’re from, the 12th or 13th?”

I would have considered it an honor to have lived in the 13th century and had met St. Thomas Aquinas or St. Francis of Assisi. Alas, I live in the modern Sodom and Gommorah of the 21st century.

In response to Roger’s previous comment, “C’mon, do you really believe that a good and loving God would create a Hell to punish and torture his own creatures? That’s up there with Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast!”

Jesus talked a great deal about hell (Gehenna, hades, etc.) in the New Testament, over and over again. He often talked bout it more than He did Heaven. Obviously He “believed in” it. Why? Because Jesus doesn’t want any of us to go to hell, but that’s exactly where we will send ourselves by being in a state of unrepentent mortal sin. Jesus didn’t die on the Cross for nothing.

Jesus is not some luv-in, peace and justice, hippified liberal in 1st century AD clothing. He is the Son of the Living God.

BTW, since Jesus’ adopted father was a “teknon” (often translated as carpenter, but more properly a stone mason), Jesus likely shared in his adopted father’s work prior to his public ministry. As a result of lifting heavy stones and pieces of wood, he very likely didn’t appear as the effeminate wimp we see in so many paintings, but rather quite probably gave an imposing appearance of muscle and mass. Everything in Jesus’ day was done by manual labor, so no hippified weakling was he.

Manly men are something liberals can’t stand, and Jesus was just as much a manly man as He was God Himself.

Art Deco
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 9:30am

trying to respond intelligently and with a spiritual sensitivity.

And I am attempting to be intelligently insensitive.

BTW: guilt is usually used as a weapon when someone wants to control you and keep you in your place.

No, it is not. Common-and-garden individuals have much about which to feel guilty. There are few people in this world who are given to reminding you of that (family members, mostly). There are few whose vocation it is to remind you of that. Teaching sisters are among those whose vocation it is (just like the sister your mother bore you).

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 9:44am

Yo, Paul — that’s a leap, equating liberalness and being a “hippie” with being effeminate. Wow! I suppose there are effeminate liberals and effeminate conservatives. I see no correlation (unless, perhaps you’re a conservative homophobe). In the end, I suppose we each have our own personal Jesus. I believe he was a liberating, forgiving force, who life was an example to us all. You, apparently, believe otherwise.

Art Deco: Perhaps that is the job of teaching sisters, but I think many of their tactics during my generation were extremely counter-productive. Heck, they made you scared of your own puberty — isn’t that a gift from God

Paul W Primavera
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 9:54am

Roger,

We need to repent and convert to accept such forgiveness.

“I suppose we each have our own personal Jesus.”

No. There is only one Jesus – the Great “I AM”. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God….” You and I don’t get to pick and choose our personal Jesus. You and I either submit to the Great “I AM” or you and I send ourselves to burn for an eternity in hell. Those are our only choices.

No hippified liberal weakling Jesus, but rather the Son of the Living God, Lord and King of the Universe, Savior of sinners from hell. Submit. Resistance is futile!

Sorry. Can’t help myself for using that phrase. I’m bad! 😉

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 10:04am

I believe there’s a little bit of Jesus in each of us, my friend. Perhaps that’s what makes us human.

Paul W Primavera
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 10:12am

Geez, Roger, I don’t know what to say. If I want Jesus in me, then I must repent and convert on a daily basis, and partake of the Sacraments. That means participating actively in the Sacraments, especially Penance and Reconciliation, and the Holy Eucharist. It means (among many other things and not necessarily in this order) reading the Bible, praying the Rosary, doing good works for others instead of selfishly pursuing what makes me feel good, and giving all honor and glory to God. It’s not a kumbaya around the camp fire luv-in. It’s actually hard work that places God first and others ahead of myself. Faith without works is dead.

Roger Chiocchi
Roger Chiocchi
Wednesday, May 16, AD 2012 10:24am

Paul: We just have different views of Christ and Christianity,let’s leave it at that.

Discover more from The American Catholic

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Scroll to Top