Anti-gay Calif. state senator admits he's gay

AP reports from Sacramento:

Republican state Sen. Roy Ashburn said Monday he is gay, ending days of speculation that began after his arrest last week for investigation of driving under the influence.

Ashburn, who consistently voted against gay rights measures during his 14 years in the state Legislature, came out in an interview with KERN radio in Bakersfield, the area he represents.

Ashburn said he felt compelled to address rumors that he had visited a gay nightclub near the Capitol before his DUI arrest.

"I am gay ... those are the words that have been so difficult for me for so long," Ashburn told conservative talk show host Inga Barks.

The 55-year-old father of four said he had tried to keep his personal life separate from his professional life until his March 3 arrest.

Well that's an interesting way to describe a habit of saying one thing and doing another. The more common term for it is hypocrisy. If treacherous closet cases like Ashburn were all exposed, not only gay people but society as a whole would be a lot better off.