Gotta give credit where credit is due - Maryland Governor Robert Erlich, a Republican, has replaced one of his appointees, Robert J. Smith, to the DC-area Metro Board for statements he made that gay and lesbian people are "sexual deviants." Smith was a panelist on a cable news program and his exact words, in response to a discussion about Mary Cheney, were:

Smith did not indicate whether he understood that the law does proffer a special place for those who practice religious deviancy - and as Roman Catholic, Smith must understand that there are many in other "Christian" churches who aren't exactly happy with us Papists.

Jim Graham, a city Council member from DC, who is openly gay and is a DC appointee to the Metro Board, called Smith out about the comments at a recent meeting:

After being replaced on the board, Smith refused to apologize to Graham, or anyone else for that matter:

In other words, "you're a freak, now shut up about it." Smith is correct that being a narrow-minded bigot does not necessarily interfere with one's ability to run the trains and busses on time (although as a long-time Metro bus and rail user, that could use a lot of work), but it does demonstrate an appalling lack of consideration for the people who pay his salary. Not only is DC very gay and very gay-friendly, but the communities of Northern Virginia and the Maryland suburbs close to DC are not exactly hotbeds of anti-gay activism either.

Erlich would not, in anyone's estimation, be called gay-friendly, but in this case he acted appropriately, IMHO.

Washington Post Coverage (registration required)

Advocate Coverage - open access

The lady whose voice you hear on the metro (step back, doors closing) is a lesbian. I know that fits into this story somehow..just can't make the ironic link...

of course he acted appropriatly-it's an election year and Maryland is a blue state

he can't appear to be too homophobic