Another Politician Who Plays

October 15, 2009 -

Congressman Jared Polis (D) represents the Second Congressional District of Colorado, is the first openly gay male to be elected to Congress as a freshman and is, apparently, also a gamer.

A series of articles for CNN detail the trials and travails of Polis during his first term in Washington. The Congressman’s partner, Marlon Reiss, penned the most recent entry into the series, in which he details the life of a Congressional spouse, noting the types of activities the couple like to do in their free time:

We take time, when we have it, to enjoy dinners together, to play video games, to walk our new puppy and to celebrate life's happy moments.

We have an inquiry in with the Congressman’s office to see if we can find out what titles, platforms and/or specific games he plays.


Comments

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

Just being openly gay AT ALL in the US today is a risky move. Grats to him.

Though since he games too, to a certain someone he must be satan incarnate andn eeds to be removed from office imemdiately.

Now if we coudl ever have an openly gay president or even a Native American president, well, nevermind, snowball's chance in hell.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

An Openly Gay president has the same chance of being elected as an Openly Athiest President.. That chance being ZERO.. Too many bigoted religious fundies and socially conservative douchcows in this country.. Would be nice, though..

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

Douchecows?

That's a new one.

 

Andrew Eisen

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

I can't claim responsibility for that one, either.. I first heard it from one of my best High school friends a few years back.. He's always been one to create new ways of insulting people. Always a fun guy to hang around, and he's probably one of the reasons I started paying as close attention as I do to politics.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

Reminds me of a comedy TV shows I used to watch. Since the show was marketed toward teenagers (although adults can find their share of jokes aimed at them), the characthers weren't allowed to swear. So, one of the character stated that his hobby when he was losing his temper was inventing new swear words (although it's obvious he was making them up at the moment). Some were hilarious.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

Are you kidding me?  There's nothing wrong with being openly gay in America.  Jesus, you'd think we lynched gays in the street or something.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

Have you SEEN the way some folks treat gays? You may very well get lynched for being gay in some places..

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

SOME folks is not ALL folks.  I've never seen anyone gay in my company mistreated in any way.  I've taken gay friends with me everywhere from a football game to a rifle range, and they never had a problem.  I think a lot of this poor treatment of gays is in people's head.  Sure, they sometimes get screwed over by people, but not nearly as often as you seem to think.

The places that I've seen the WORST treatment of gays were in poor communities, both urban and rural, although mostly urban.  

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

It's not like gays are being beaten every time they turn a corner, but the GBLT community as a whole are still treated like second class citizens in America. They are shunned, frowned upon, and mistreated, and talked down to, and called derogatory names constantly. And yes, more often than the norm, they are victims of violent crime. I can't tell you the number of times I've heard people muttering the "f" word when they pass my buddy and his boyfriend.

Acting like it doesn't exist is just perpetuating the problem. Homophobia is as real and present as racism is in America, and people need to wake up to that fact.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

You know who else is called derogatory names constantly?  Every other group in the country.  People shun and frown upon, mistreat, and insult all kinds of people in America; the fact that it happens to the GLBT community isn't anything special. 

You know what else doesn't help the problem?  The fact that, just like with racism, it's blown completely out of proportion by people trying to make a name for themselves or a quick buck (like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton), so when there is an actual incidence of a hate crime or mistreatment due to being gay, nobody cares because they're already so desensitized to the whole thing.

It also doesn't help when groups related to the GLBT community are involved in things like that ad campaign to stop people saying 'that's so gay'.  I realize that it's a pretty slim minority that backed that whole ad campaign, but it's still ridiculous, and once again, it makes people care even less.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

I agree with the Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton Comment.. With the number of people crying "RACISM!" every chance they get, it does obscure true occurences. I'm sure the same thing is true with Homophobia as well. That doesn't, however, change the fact that it does happen, and that it can be a tough, tough choice to decide to "come out of the closet." (I've always hated that phrase..) You aren't sure how your friends and family will react, and once you do out yourself, you can never take that back..

Thats actually why I've never told anyone who actually knows me, except for my girlfriend and a few really close friends of mine that I am Bi. I'm cool saying it here, since I don't know any of you personally, but I don't think I'll ever be able to come out to those close to me, because I highly, HIGHLY doubt that they will react very favorably..

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

No offense, but I think a lot of people who are GLBT have a good idea of how their parents will react (or at least think they do), which, in some cases, is why they don't come out for a long time to their family.  Friends, they probably have a little less of an idea how they'll react, except for close friends.

For a great example, a relative of mine decided he would come out to the family at Thanksgiving.  He got just the reaction he expected: some looked at him for a moment, and then we all went back to eating.

And I really think our media needs to not give so much attention to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.  Remember when Michael Richards went on his 'nigger' rampage during his comedy routine? How the fuck does his apologizing to Jesse Jackson make it better?  I think it was said best in South Park: Jesse Jackson is not the emperor of black people.  And every time they give them another 15 minutes of fame, it does nothing positive.  That, and I always found it hilarious that Jackson, a known racist and liar, seems to believe that he is the emperor of black people.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

Screw the video gaming... I'd congratulate him on being the first openly gay male to be elected to congress. It gives me hope that the Religious Fundies are continuing to lose control of America, and that, eventually, they become an insignificant minority in this country. We need more gays (and athiests, for that matter) in our government.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

I thought Barney Frank kept claiming to be the first openly gay congressman? And wasn't that a lie anyway, as there was someone else elected to congress before Frank who was also gay? 

I'm pretty sure that this guy isn't the first openly gay person in congress.  He may be the first person to be openly gay WHEN HE WAS FIRST ELECTED to congress, but I know he's not the first openly gay person in congress.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

Now that you mention it, I had heard something like that.. Maybe he was the first to be elected while openly gay, like you said.. Either way, kudos to him. Like I said, we need more GBLT folks in congress.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

That link doesn't link to anywhere.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

I want to take that bet, but you're probably correct.

Re: Another Politician Who Plays

£10 says it's the ever-so-trendy Wii.

--------------------------------------------------

I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.

-------------------------------------------------- I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
 
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