Smear Test

Never mind a week being a long time in politics. Sometimes a couple of hours is an eternity.
While I was writing yesterday about Liam Fox being part of the homophobic Tory right wing, the London Evening Standard was hitting the streets with a lead story about Fox having been the victim of 'gay smears' about his past.
He seems to have followed the Cameron line in refusing to comment on stories about his past life but said that his forthcoming marriage would lay to rest any suspicions that he might be gay. But of course. Gay men have never been known to marry, have they?

But I'm less interested in whether the rumours about Fox were true or not than in the Standard's use of language.
Why should the suggestion that someone might be gay be called a 'smear'? And doesn't using such language in the media just reinforce the prejudices of the school bullies and the gay-bashers and murderers?
One indicator of society having grown up will be when describing someone as gay can no longer be called a smear.
You might call it 'the smear test'.

*****

A Tory activist said of David Cameron on the radio today: "On the drugs issue he was totally honest. He said he wasn't going to answer the question."
Sorry? Could you just run that past me again?

As it happens, David 'smoothie chops' Cameron changed tack slightly on Channel 4 News last night when he said that he had never used cocaine whilst he was an MP.
If he's going to say that, he might as well go the whole hog and say he has never used cocaine at all, assuming that is the case. But one of two possible inferences of this latest statement is that he used cocaine before he was an MP. Should that be the truth then, like so many politicians, he has chosen to live the next few weeks, months or years with a ticking time-bomb down his Calvin Kleins.

Here's the kind of possible scenario that should worry him if he has ever taken drugs:
Imagine you were at university with Cameron and saw him smoking a spliff or doing coke. You go to Max Clifford and wily old Max would say 'sit tight for a bit. Wait until Cameron is elected Leader of the party and you can add a few noughts to your cheque. If we run the story now you'll get half as much money and possibly stop him becoming Leader. And if that happens and you've got some more dirt up your sleeve, you won't get a second bite at the cherry.'
Be afraid, David. Be very afraid.