First off, my apologies for being absent over the past few days: my day job has been a little crazy this week. But I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on today's news that we finally have a presumptive Democratic nominee for the Presidency of the United States.

Of course, Clinton hasn't conceded yet. And her staunchest supporters have latched on to the bizarre and frankly unsupportable notion that Barack Obama stole the election. But that's not what I want to write about tonight.

I'm writing in response to the many gay guys I know who justify their continued support for Clinton based on what they perceive as her "strength." But the language that they use is the language I associate with diva worship, not with politics. Here's just one example from the particularly vocal Hillaryphile over at Gay Conservative Liberal: "Everyone LOVES to bash Hillary, but homegirl still comes out on top."

Uh, homegirl? We're not talking about Clinton making a comeback tour in Vegas or vindicating herself with a new album. We're talking about her fitness for the Presidency—and if we've learned anything over the past eight years, we should know that strength and stubbornness are not the same.

We should also know that the Democrats can't win in November unless we unite behind our nominee. Over the past few months, I've heard more than a few of Clinton's gay supporters claim that they'll vote for McCain out of spite. But please, if you're upset because Clinton has lost the nomination and you're thinking about going Republican, just understand this: John McCain is not even remotely your ally. 

This fall, we have the historic opportunity to elect an African-American President, ensure a Democratic majority in both Houses, and solidify the legality of gay marriage. If you're disappointed that "homegirl" didn't make it into the general election, I'll give you one month to sit on your hands and pout. But once your month's up, you're no longer allowed to let pettiness and disappointment dictate how you respond to historical necessity. It's time to let the grudges go.


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