Sooner Be Blue

The city of Portland has a highly-publicized sex scandal on its hands. Seems that their brand new openly gay mayor, Sam Adams, was forced into confessing that he lied about having an affair with a young man named Beau Breedlove (a perfect name for a bodice ripper...er, a leather chaps ripper).

Adams has publicly apologized for lying and asking Breedlove to lie to the press...but says he will not step down as Mayor even though there are lots of calls for his resignation.

From The Oregonian: "The former legislative intern at the center of the controversy involving Portland Mayor Sam Adams says Adams kissed him twice when he was 17 and that their relationship had "crossed the line" toward romance earlier than Adams has acknowledged.

Beau Breedlove, now 21, told The Oregonian on Saturday that Adams kissed him on the lips on two occasions before he turned 18 -- once in Adams' car and the other in the second-floor men's room in City Hall after a party that Adams, then a city commissioner, had in his office.

Breedlove agrees with Adams' account that the two didn't have a sexual relationship until two weeks after he turned 18 in June 2005. He also says he welcomed Adams' kisses and romantic interest, even though he was underage.[..]"

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/01/breedlove.html

Okay, we've trashed Senator Larry Craig for his airport men's room toe-tapping...and we've laughed at Pastor Ted Haggard and his gay massage therapist, etc.

Granted, the two of them have made a sport of gay bashing...which makes their intimate affairs with men all the more target-worthy. Haggard has preached that God will send gays to hell, and Craig still supports anti-gay legislation.

Still, those of us who haven't been all that sympathetic about conservatives who get caught with their gay pants down have to examine our hypocrisy...and not stick up for this unethical and predatory mayor.

I know I wouldn't vote for him if I lived in his city. The part that disturbs me is that they met when the kid was 17. It sounds as though he was "grooming" this kid.

So, are we supposed to believe that nothing untoward happened until two weeks after he turned 18? I find that hard to believe. He may be 18 and of age, but he just turned 18...and this mayor is 45. A mayor is in a powerful position to take advantage of the young people who work for him.

And who is going to believe that Adams only had interest in this one teenager?

People in responsible public positions should be trustworthy. Teachers lose their licenses when they "entertain" students. Just think of how troubling this affair would be if this were a young girl. So what's the difference? It's poor judgement that calls his character into question.

I think Adams should resign, but if he doesn't, hopefully the people of Portland will take care of it when he is up for re-election.