First Openly Gay Congressman dies... hero or villain?

I think it comes down to age-of-consent laws and were they not adequately enforced against Studds. Let's remember he established a relationship with this person for some period - he wasn't just trying to diddle a bunch of pages.Anway, how is it you can marry someone 13 or 14 in some of these states, and yet having sex with someone under 18 is considered "statutory rape"?But the difference ot me is a matter of integrity.
Studds was open and honest about his HS'y from the beginning.
He wasn't a sleaze-bag like Foley.
The real shame for Forley (to me) is his hipocrisy.So he's gay and likes boys. So what?That he harassed so many of them with lewd emails and used his position of influence to try and consume them in bunches like grapes - THAT is creepy and tells you he is an asshole.That he was recently a co-author of new anti-pedophile legislation that may just provide the grounds for his own conviction - beautiful irony. (I can probably dig up a link on that if needed).

If I had a son who decided he was gay, I think I would accept that.If I had a son who was at a summer camp where one of the counsellors was gay, that would not necessarily bother me either - any more than if I had a daughter (I have 2) at a summer camp with a bunch of horny young hetero guys hanging around.ABE: What would concern me is a counsellor who took advantage of one of his charges while in a position of responsibility for them, regardless of his/her sexuality.The implicit assumption is that people in positions of authority, and educational responsibility, supposedly providing examples to younger people, do not take advantage of that position for base personal gratification. That's what Foley did. I am not convinced that is what Studds did, although I don't have enough info to make a determination.Take for example this story with more perspective here from Vancouver, BC.The male teacher seduced a series of young. underage, female students using many ploys and created a whole exclusive camping/adventure club for selected students for this purpose.
That's the sleaze factor I'm talking about.
Gay or hetero, sleaze smells the same.Edited by EZscience, : No reason given.Edited by EZscience, : (additional link)

Did I say that?
I don't think so.
I merely equivocated across sexual orientations - I did not defend abusive sexual behavior - although simply propositioning someone sexually should not be considered a crime, provided they are not a child. That would be positively Orwellian. No, not really. But you do bring up a valid issue.
But should it be an issue of age differential?
Or abuse of responsibility inherent in one's professional position? Not if they are of legal age. Anymore than I would prosecute old men for hitting on younger women, provided they were of legal age.ABE: Not that 'legal age' is in really scientific (people mature at different ages), but I would agree we have to draw the grim line of 'pedophilia' somewhere.Edited by EZscience, : No reason given.Edited by EZscience, : No reason given.