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Senator Larry Craig and the Minneapolis Airport
The dis-oriented is a conservative Republican. I could not help but notice the story about Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig being arrested for disorderly conduct in an Minneapolis Airport (MSP) men's room.
Craig was arrested for soliciting an undercover male officer for sex. Craig pleaded guilty this week to a misdemeanor charge in the case. After Craig's plea, his home state newspaper, The Idaho Statesman, broke a story about a man who claims to have had sex with Craig in a restroom in Washington DC's Union Station.
Craig is a Republican who has always stood for family values. He has been a vocal opponent of gay rights legislation. I believe that Craig should resign. Not because he is gay but because he is a hypocrite.
I am also a business traveler who travels through MSP almost 40 times a year and I had no idea that it was a gay crusing hotspot.
Reading coverage of the Craig arrest, I learned that he was arrested in a men's room stall by an undercover officer. Craig did not actually perform any lewd acts but according to the arresting officer, Craig used standard signals indicating that he was interested in sex.
Hmm... I wonder what those signals are? Apparently Craig xxx things:
- tapped his foot
- touched the officer's foot with his foot
- reached under the stall with his hand — palm up
- rubbed the bottom of the divider with his hand
- blocked the door with his luggage
I guess I'll have to be careful next time I am in MSP. I have been known to tap my feet in the men's room while listening to my MP3 player. I also always block the door to the stall with my luggage. I am a big guy and there is no other place to put luggage in those tiny stalls.
So while I may tap my foot or block the door with my luggage, I have never reached under the stall or rubbed the bottom of it palm up or palm down. And I have never even accidentally touched someone else's foot in the next stall. Apparently these signals are well known on gay cruising sites.
As an MSP traveler, I was curious, which men's room did the arrest take place in. The Minnesota Monitor pinpointed the location. It is the men's room in the main 'mall' area, from the description, I think it is near where the shoeshine stand is (or was).
I'll have to make sure I don't send the wrong signals, next time I am in MSP.
August 30, 2007 in Current Affairs | Permalink | Top
