Rick-Perry-tive Therapy

At their party convention earlier this month, Texas Republicans added a platform plank supporting "reparative therapy," a disreputable form of brainwashing euphemistically known as "praying away the gay." Appearing before the Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco last Wednesday, Governor Rick Perry (R-TX) was asked whether he believes that homosexuality is a "disorder." He essentially called it a disease, like alcoholism.

"I may have the genetic coding that I'm inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that. And I look at the homosexual issue in the same way."

Asked to defend his remarks, Perry fell back on the old "We are all children of God" treacle that is meant to sweeten any accompanying hateful statement.

This Week's Q Syndicate Cartoon

After making the rounds on TV defending his scripted remarks that gays are "brainwash[ing our children] into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option," New York Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Carl Paladino eventually issued an apology -- which then prompted the Orthodox Jewish rabbi who hosted the original speech to withdraw his support of Paladino.

Perhaps the apology was prompted by the fact that Paladino's nephew, a gay man and a volunteer on his uncle's campaign, was publicly offended by the original remarks. If so, good for him; that's another argument in favor of coming out of the closet to one's relatives and friends.