The California Supreme Court ruled that San Francisco’s mayor abused his authority by issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples earlier this year. On the same day, New Jersey’s governor, James E. McGreevey, announced he was gay, had an affair and would resign from his position in November. “It makes little difference that as a governor I am gay. In fact, having the ability to truthfully set forth my identity might have enabled me to be more forthright in fulfilling and discharging my constitutional obligations,” McGreevey stated. Yet, in our country, one’s sexual orientation makes all the difference to fulfilling constitutional obligations.

E. J. Graff of The New Republic comments, “On one coast, yet another politician announces that he cheated on his marriage vows; on the other coast, thousands of men and women are being cheated out of theirs. One event is an entertaining tabloid headline. The other is a speed bump on the difficult drive toward civil rights.” The so-called “entertaining tabloid headline” becomes more newsworthy, allowing the public to ignore the real issues. We hear about McGreevey being accused of sexual harassment, some of us wondering, “How must his wife feel?” We fail to hear about the devastated couples in California. Who is wondering, “How must they feel?”

At least we know how Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality Chairman, feels about McGreevey coming out. “We all know how difficult it is to come out as openly gay. No one could imagine what it’s like to come out to 300 million people.” Yes, that takes courage. And maybe because he wanted to be socially acceptable it is understandable. Yet we are asked to overlook that McGreevey acted in a morally corrupt fashion by having an affair and look at him as the new voice for the gay rights movement. This seems non-seneschal to those who are trying to push same-sex marriages. Graff states, “Backing McGreevey only gives ammunition to the religious right.”

Even the stories surrounding McGreevey have a slant toward him being gay, instead of slanting to his affairs. If he were just another straight politician having an affair, most of the public could shrug it off as what is to be expected from those political types. Hell, look at Clinton. How well is his book doing again?

Straight, morally corrupt politicians move on. McGreevey feels the pressure of his ex-aide threatening a sexual harassment suit. Dina Matos McGreevey, according to Gov. McGreevey, has been “extraordinary throughout this ordeal.” In case you were still wondering how “the wife” was doing. San Francisco’s mayor, Gavin Newsom, according to CNN, has a heavy heart, but is proud of what he has done. Meanwhile, about 4,000 couples in California may feel the bitterness and frustration of defeat. But I can’t really say that since it is hard to find their voices among the “entertaining tabloid headlines.”

Amber Hyland is a senior cultural anthropology and magazine journalism major and columnist for the Summer Kent Stater.

E-mail: ahyland@kent.edu