If I was taking my 5 yo son to use the airport bathroom and noticed two guys were going at it in the stalls, I might well report it to the police. There is a legitimate societal interest in discouraging public lewd behavior.
That’s the argument, but I’ve been using public stalls for like…years. And have only the one sad story (see above) to tell. I don’t belive there is an epidemic of public bathroom sex. Airport (and other) cops should have some thing better to do.
Sides’ that cop was being a tease -
Will Saletan: “Craig tapped his toes several times and moved his foot closer to my foot. I moved my foot up and down slowly.” Is moving your foot up and down a signal of encouragement? Somebody must have a web site that explains the code.
From what I’ve read that particular bathroom was a known location for cruising for anonymous gay sex.
Just FYI.
RTFA. They didn’t have sex.
I love that he continues to claim that he isn’t gay, it’s like he’s straight out of a Kids in the Hall sketch. Scott Thompson should play him in a movie.
Is that the same as not inhaling? What’s the likelihood he hasn’t worked some plumbing in that bathroom before?
I look forward to your future landmark cases winning freedom for all the people who try to commit or solicit a crime and are stopped. Since, you know, it’s not actually illegal until you actually put the cock in your mouth or something.
I’m not happy about the breadth of sex crime laws in America, but since he can’t be arrested for being a Republican, this is the next best thing.
In general, I agree with your point here.
It’s worth mentioning though that this particular airport bathroom was apparently a major gay cruising spot:
The restroom where Craig was arrested is well known among men who seek sex in public places.
Squirt.org is a site that runs a bulletin board for such men. “If you enter from the terminal, turn left and go past wash basins, urinals to the back where the stalls are. This place is THE most cruisy public place I have been,” wrote one poster. “Just passed thru here the other day. This place is so hot. This place has a constant flow and variety of hot guys,” wrote another. Even another poster wrote, “This is the best spot for anonymous action I’ve ever seen.” Of all the postings in Minnesota, the airport restroom was ranked the top by that website.
…
The details of Craig’s arrest are not unique. According to a post in June at cruisingforsex.com, another public sex site, “Twenty people were arrested within the past week. Plainclothes officers wait in the stalls and tap their feet and even put their foot on yours and then arrest you when you look under the stall wall.”
In this case, it may have been so out of hand that it was worth the police’s time to do something about it.
In general though, it really does seem like a “crime” that would be more appropriate to ticket for if anything.
What was his punishment? Didn’t sound like much more than a fine to me.
Public embarrassment?
Just because he’s soliciting sex doesn’t mean he means to do it right then and there. If they were to then go back to his place for a little of the ol’ in-out, in-out, then that wouldn’t be illegal, and no crime has been committed.
I mean it’s really tough to say with a straight face that something criminal hapened here. There’s no question the guy likes trouser snakes, but that isn’t and shouldn’t be illegal in this country. Or are you saying it should be?
Edit: Yeah, if this is just a ticketable civil offense, that makes more sense.
I’m sure if he had his way, having a little of the old in-and-out with another man would still be illegal.
I say you try it for yourself a few times and find out the percentage yea or nay.
That’s the problem…Republicans: do as we say not as we do.
I think we need to bring George Michael in on this for some protocol info.
A little toe tapping leads to a “WHAM” of your anus.
Hey, Matt, do you think this cop should head to the nearest singles bar and start rounding people up?
This senator’s only real crime is being a hypocrite.
That’s not the same thing. The gay equivalent to a cop going to a singles bar and starting to round people up would be a cop going to a gay bar and rounding people up.
The issue is soliciting sex in a public place where it is not appropriate. If there was a unisex bathroom in the airport which was repeatedly used for soliciting straight sex, it would also be appropriate for the airport to take actions to put a stop to it.
That’s a pretty serious issue though, especially for a political system as publicly racked with hypocrisy as ours. I don’t find soliciting sex in a restroom particularly offensive to me, since it impacts nothing and lacks the seamy particulars of the last gay affair republican I recall. But don’t stand on a pulpit lecturing the American people about morals, pushing ridiculous laws accordingly and then expect not to be destroyed publicly when you’re unveiled as a lie.
It’s about time someone other than John Edwards did something to gay-up American politics.
Edit: apologies to Hillary for excluding her.