The Gay Child Left Behind (Maya Keyes, daughter of Alan Keyes, declared herself a lesbian)

NY Times ^ | February 17, 2005 | DAN SAVAGE

[sc2_ct]

I definately am impressed (though not at all surprised) at the consistancy of Keye's message, which is one of the reasons that I respect the man so much. Too many whiny pansies would throw logic, reason and morals out the window just to protect the poor little feelings of those around them. In his position I would still stick to my beliefs.

Now, I don't know all the conversations and exchanges that have taken place obviously, but as an uninformed observer, I might treat education differently. I'd offer to pay full tuition and school costs to a good, conservative college.

Children when they become adults have the right to make their own decisions and to persue liberty and freedom as they see it, but I also have the freedom to put my money where my morals are.

What really pisses me off is that the media is so gleeful in reporting it in that smug "take that" sort of style they are so familiar with.

[Gelato]

Sadly for Maya Keyes, her father apparently has more affection for his ideology than for his daughter.

Media types like this love making stuff up.

From the Maya Keyes interview the other day on CNN:

BLITZER: So what then happened? Has there been a complete falling-out now between you and your father?

KEYES: No. I love my parents very much. And they love me. And they disagree with what I'm doing at the moment. And, as such, they can't support me in this activity, but they are still always going to love me. I know that.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0502/14/wbr.01.html

Alan Keyes:

"If my own daughter were a homosexual, or a lesbian, I would love my daughter, but I would tell my daughter that she was in sin," Keyes said in August.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/021405_ns_keyesdaughter.html

The author of the NY Times article apparently believes that condemning a sin means hating the "sinner." Sad.

Also, the author's claim that Ms. Keyes' parents "kicked her out of the house" is contradicted by this:

The friend says Maya has not been kicked out of the family home, but she is no longer welcomed to stay at the downtown Chicago apartment that Keyes and members of his new political organization use.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/021405_ns_keyesdaughter.html

An aide to Alan Keyes tells CNN Maya worked for an Illinois political group run by Keyes and lived in a Chicago apartment paid for by that group. The aide says Maya and her father mutually agreed she should leave that group and therefore she's no longer eligible to live in the apartment. That was after Maya went to an anti-Bush protest during last month's inauguration.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0502/14/wbr.01.html

And then there are the reports that her parents stopped speaking to her. Untrue, according to this:

TODD: A source close to the Keyes family says this whole situation has been devastating for everyone concerned, but the source says, through it all, Maya and her parents are still speaking -- Wolf.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0502/14/wbr.01.html

Once again, in the rush to push its agenda, the media gets "a little carried away."

[swilhelm73]

Let's just be clear here. Dan Savage is a gay activist. So make sure you read this article through that lens.

And let's not overlook the whole licking Gary Bauer's office bathroom to try and get him sick fiasco. Savage was ill with the flu at the time and interviewing Bauer when the idea came to him...

Savage makes ACT-UP look prim and proper.

[1st-P-In-The-Pod]

I couldn't agree more.

g'night now.

[Savage Beast]

I know how I would react. I love my children. I would continue to love them, and I would give them all the support that I possibly could.

[Khurkris]

I would like to take this opportunity to announce that I am not now, have not been in the past nor do I forsee being a lesbian.

Having said that I would also like to express my admiration and sometimes affection for the lesbians I have known during my life.
Lesbians have worked on my cars, printed my catalogues, served me my drinks, shown me a selection of down vests and flannel plaid shirts and a myriad of other things. I have had extensive and sometimes intimate moments with lesbians. They have often times commented that had my gender been different, I would have made a fine lesbian. nFor this I can only smile.

Let me conclude by saying,
I like lesbians, they usually pay for their own drinks.

Thank you.

[jennyp]

That's good to hear.

[garylmoore]

I like lesbians

Tells me a lot about your character.

[SAMS]

Exactly! We are only hearing her side of events. For all we know, it could have gone something like this:
Alan Keyes: Fine you're gay & we still love you, But it is a personal family matter, lets keep it that way.
Maya Keyes: No. I'm queer i'm here, get used to it.
Alan Kenyes: Fine you're queer, but you no longer welcome here, get used to that!

[garylmoore]

I really feel for Mr. Keyes, here he is preaching about high moral values and his own daughter hits him below the belt with coming out as a deviant with a nasty lifestyle. I know he still loves his daughter but being a man of high character he can't possible condon this behavior. Why couldn't she just have kept her sexual preference to herself, who wants to know what she does behind closed doors anyway? I don't understand these sinners broadcasting their sins.

[68skylark]

Dan Savage got printed in the NY Times! That development is way overdue. Savage is the most hysterical, sex-obsessed gay activist in world -- he's a perfect fit with the Times and their mission.

[Army Air Corps]

The author of the article, IIRC, is a gay activist. So, who is the virulent anti-gay activist?

[jwalsh07]

The pleasure this clown gets from the heartbreak being endured by this or any other family raises bile in my throat.

[mcg1969]

I know how I would react. I love my children. I would continue to love them, and I would give them all the support that I possibly could.

And that's admirable, but sometimes, the result of "supporting" someone is to enable them to continue in their destructive or sinful behavior. It's not unlike the dilemma we face when we give money to a panhandler. It makes sense from a simple compassionate viewpoint until you realize that many of them just save it up until they can buy another bottle of hooch.

[Savage Beast]

I don't agree.

Changing to a heterosexual orientation is not an option for most homosexuals. My comment assumed that this applied to my child.

If the child (this is hypothetical because my children, thankfully, are heterosexual) considered himself/herself capable of reorientation, I would encourage it and do what I could to help, but I would not seek to impose it, because, in the case of a true homosexual, this is not possible, and the best one can do is to help such an unfortunate person to cope with life and its realities while giving the unconditional love and acceptance of a parent.

[mcg1969]

Orientation is one thing; behavior is another.

[Khurkris]

"Tells me a lot about your character."

And I could be a grumpy wise cracker and return to comment to you, but I won't. May the Lord continue to bless you and yours.

And in those blessings I hope he allows your sense of humor to grow..:-).

[Ann Archy]

OMG! THAT Dan Savage!! The doorknob LICKER....what a SICKO!! He's probably my neighbor!!

[DMZFrank]

I have heard much speculation as to the nature of the relationship between Alan Keyes and his daughter. That speculation may or may not be correct. I think it is safe to say that whatever the nature may be, it did not affect his view of what public policy vis a vis homosexuality should be, particularly as it affects gay marriage.

Most all of Alan Keyes public pronouncements on this matter made reference to the traditions of Western civilization, history, philosophy, and constitutional law. He made perfectly coherent arguments as to why Gay marriage is a nonsensical and socially destructive hypothesis, and why it was important to stand up against a politically correct blitzkrieg to bully us into its acceptance.

In a surprisingly fair article on this issue in today's Tribune, Maya said that her father's private stance toward her homosexuality has been consistent with his public statements on the subject. I find this remarkable, and I contrast this position with those waffling remarks by Vice President Dick Cheney with regard to public policy and gay marriage. Let us not forget that Alan Keyes said during the campaign "if my own daughter were a homosexual or a lesbian, I would love my daughter, but I would tell my daughter that she was in sin." Alan Keyes is unwilling to compromise his personal integrity and public philosophy with what may be a private desire to propitiate those views to maintain the allegiance and love of his daughter. If that is so then this is one more indication as to why this man should be in public life and that he would be highly unlikely to betray the public trust for his personal gain. My personal estimation of Alan Keyes has GROWN and not diminished as a result of this.

Despite all this, Maya admits that she still loves her father. Probably because he is a loving father, who Maya herself undoubtedly understands has done his best to inculcate her with positive values. She, for reasons that may be genetic, environmental, based on rebellious autonomy, a flirtation with homosexual chic, or any combination thereof; has chosen her own path that is at odds with what Alan expects from an adult living in his household. I wish the best for them. I have met Maya. She is a charming and intelligent young woman.

I can definiteIy sympathize with a parent at odds with the flowering and evolvement of a child. I hope this family can find loving reconciliation without any compromise of personal integrity, for that has been a hallmark of Alan Keyes' personal life.

[sweetliberty]

Where was the barf alert on this one???