No that is the wrong fag. (Why I am so conflicted about Craig's arrest part 2)

[dsc]

http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/040728/coverstory/index.asp

Both opponents and defenders of the sting operation have been very vocal. Points of contention between the two range from whether this specific sting was justified in the first place to whether these types of sting operations should ever be used. Many in the gay community deny that pubic sex in rest areas is a problem and consider the stings to be harassment and grounded in prejudice, while law enforcement officials see them as a legitimate method of dealing with the genuine problem of public sex. Critics of the mid-June sting point to what they say is a small number of citizen complaints in asking if the sting was, in fact, justified. Leading the charge has been Todd Heywood, a GLBT activist who came close to being arrested himself. According to Heywood, he was using the rest area when he was approached by a man who asked him, “Do you come here often?”, to which Heywood responded, “No, I’m out for a drive.” When Heywood was attempting to leave the rest stop, his car was blocked in by police.

Heywood was asked to get out of his car, frisked, and, he alleges, inappropriately fondled by the officer. Soon after, the undercover officer who originally attempted to ensnare Heywood came over and allegedly said, “No, that’s the wrong fag, the one we want is back in the woods. He’s cool,” at which point Heywood was told immediately to leave the scene.


This was the top story on google search sex stop sting. I could literally find dozens of these. A friend of mine from high school got busted and outed by one of these. I will say that if Craig did it, he should be arrested. But these stings have a terrible history. Simply put, I don't believe the police in these instances unless they prove they are telling the truth. Even Craig's plea isn't enough for me. There is too much history there.

[Warren Stupidity]

1. It's the hypocrisy.

I personally think that adults asking other adults if they would like to have sex is not a crime. The problem with (ex)Senator Craig is that he is a hypocritical turd.

[dsc]

3. That is if you believe the cop

which I don't. Look, Craig is gay, that I am sure of, and that alone is enough to make him a grade A hypocrite. But that isn't enough for me to say he did this thing he got arrested for.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. Huh? He pleads guilty for the heck of it?

If he had been just taking a piss he would not have copped a plea. You seem to be getting yourself all twisted up over the obvious here. Soliciting sex between adults ought to not be a crime, but I have no doubt that Craig is gay.

[charlie]

5. I'm wary of cops

and equally wary of stings. Craig though, didn't deny parts of the account, but instead gave explanations that sound like excuses -- he has a "wide stance" on the toilet (footsie) and was reaching to pick up paper (hand under the partition).

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. What Was His Excuse

What was his excuse for gazing at the undercover cop on the crapper for two minutes through the crack in the stall?

This isn't a gay or straight issue..."Women can't go into men's restrooms and ask the occupants if they want blow jobs."

[charlie]

10. dsc's not inclined to believe the cop

so that's immaterial. But on those two specific things, Craig actually corroborated what was in the report.

[EST]

2. Craig is responsible for these stings.

Maybe not this precise one, but he and his fellow self loathers have hatched many projects, including these, in order to protect themselves. It is right, just, and totally appropriate that hypocritical harridans be hoist on their own petard.

He set up the trap. The trap got 'im. Hysterical!

[DCKit]

6. Yeah, what you said.

It's always a hoot when a hypocrite - especially a Rethug - has to face the "family values" police.

[Cha]

13. Get caught in their

own web as it were.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Maybe The Answer Is More Mundane

There were complaints about public sex in that restroom and the police set up stings to apprehend those who were engaging in it and to discourage it from continuing.


Nobody has a right to have sex in public space.

[youngdem]

8. Defending PUBLIC perversion is an embarrassment to the gay community

Defending it is frankly disgusting. There is NO room to be conflicted.

This guy leered through a crack in a stall of someone WHO WAS NOT A VOLUNTARY PARTICIPANT WHILE THE SENATOR MASTURBATED, then went into the stall next to the officer and TOUCHED HIM.

If you think that restricting this activity is going to infringe upon the gay community's rights, I must REALLY be misunderstanding what it is to be gay.

Yes, there are homophobic cops. AND Senator Craig is a pervert and sexual deviant who plead guilty to a real crime. Both can be true. And both are.

PLEASE don't defend this. It is fucking DISGUSTING. And it has nothing to do with sexuality.

Answer me this: If Craig had gone into a FEMALE bathroom and done the same thing, would you be saying anything?

This isn't about sexuality. It is about a disgusting pervert thinking he is invincible because he is a senator, going into a public restroom and committing a sex crime.

[dsc]

12. That is assuming Craig did it

which I don't. I have seen way to many cases of pissing while gay for me to buy these cases at face value. No people shouldn't have sex in bathrooms but I am not convinced that is what occured here.

[youngdem]

15. Uh, HE PLEADED GUILTY. HE ADMITTED IT.

Why do you continue to doubt and defend? Are you challenged in public restroom situations? Do you accidentally rub one out in you pants while leering through the stall door, then go into the stall next to your victim and rub ankles with him?

What is your fixation in defending this pervert WHO PLEAD GUILTY?

[dsc]

17. He pled guilty to a specific crime

not to every thing the cop said he did. Gay history is replete with people who have pled guilty in these stings without having done a damn thing. The history of these stings is just terrible. Without proof I don't believe it.

[kstewart33]

11. It IS the hypocrisy, and one other thought.

I don't know about the history of stings, but if there were many complaints about the restroom's sexual activities, the police should set up the stings, IMHO.

I'm a straight woman. I support gay rights because people should be happy, and I'm so tired of conservatives passing judgement on those who have a different lifestyle and exploiting gays for political gain. But, when I go to any public restroom, I do not want to be approached for sex by anyone nor do I want to witness come-ons and any kind of sexual activity. I went to the restroom to relieve myself, for geez sake. Isn't that what restrooms are for, and are designed (at least for women) for privacy to do so?

If there were alot of complaints about the restroom, that's likely what was happening. A 'small number of complaints'? Even that is troublesome, isn't it?

[dsc]

19. In the case of the sting I posted about we have no idea the number of complaints

they refuse to release the 911 calls so we can't know.

[mitchtv]

14. I'm not inclined to believe a word the cop says,

But in this case, I'll "suspend disbelief" Sorry Larry,it is your own creation, scumbag.

[goodhue]

16. This wasn't in the back woods, it was MSP main terminal

You might find this Minnesota Monitor story of interest

http://www.minnesotamonitor.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=FAA388DB6725F8152161FFC1C2094B17?diaryId=2309

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

18. Even Craig admitted he did it.

Sweet Weeping Jesus on the Parallel Bars.