jtc78@ihuxm.UUCP (Mike Cherepov) (11/20/84)
I was under impression that a page Studds had sex with was not
a "consenting adult" but rather a consenting youth (<= 17 ?).
Interpreting that as just mixing sex with business is absurd.
Snorting hurts (if it does) primarily the person snorting.
We did not hear from Rizzo any regrets about Rep. Crane not being
re-elected in Il. One has to be liberal and gay to be deserving.
Also, I realize it is below the belt, but what would Ron Rizzo feel
if his offspring (of whatever sex) would be involved in a story
like Studds' and Crane's?
Would he still cheer just as enthusiastically?
Mike Cherepovecl@ahuta.UUCP (ecl) (11/21/84)
Reference: <367@ptsfa.UUCP>, <1145@bbncca.ARPA>, <1146@ihuxm.UUCP> > I was under impression that a page Studds had sex with was not > a "consenting adult" but rather a consenting youth (<= 17 ?). I believe the age of consent in DC is 16. (Would someone out there verify this?) Evelyn C. Leeper ==> Note new net address: ...ihnp4!houxq!ahuta!ecl (Mail sent to my old address will be forwarded temporarily.)
sdo@brunix.UUCP (Scott Oaks) (11/27/84)
[] This all misses the point--I think I recall that the page was indeed over the age of consent, but this did not tend to be an issue with most groups. What was an issue with many groups was that Studds had admitted being gay-- and many groups took him to task for this, arguing that he deserved a harsher penalty than did the straight congressmen who also were eventually censured. And, what was the issue in the campaign was not the age of the page but again was Studds' homosexuality per se. The new right in Massachusetts mistakenly believed that the citizens of Massachusetts could learn to harbour the same unjustified criticisms of homosexuality which they bore and could thus defeat Studds (despite the fact that Studds popularity amon his constituents is among the highest in the Congress). The new right was of course proved incorrect, and Studds became the first openly gay member of Congress to be re-elected. And in the current frame of American politics, it was a refreshing victory indeed. Scott Oaks