Lusk, not love?

It’s no secret that the Bush administration doesn’t always make the right choices when selecting members for positions in the administration. Even the right-wingers came around when he picked Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court, which he appeared to do only because picking Karl Rove would have been one step too far.

Well, what do we have here? None other than Herb Lusk has been selected to the Presidential HIV/AIDS Advisory Council. Yes, the same Herb Lusk who hosted a bunch of anti-gay bigots — Tony Perkins, James Dobson, &c. — at Justice Sunday III back in January.

Now, it’s not as if Lusk isn’t a nice guy — he’s supposed to be a great person — and, as far as I know, he hasn’t done anything fantastically stupid. Basically, he is a supporter of George Bush, is for an amendment to the Constitution banning gay marriage and is buddy-buddy with some other people the president figuratively fellates daily (e.g. Dobson). Of course, not everyone who likes Bush, who’s a conservative Christian or even is opposed to gay marriage hates gays. And maybe he has some good ideas. (He did found a group that helps to fight the tide of AIDS in Africa.)

But isn’t it just like the Bush administration to (1) reward a loyal, vocal, visible supporter with a cushy advisory position that meets only three times a year and (2) pick someone who seemingly stands opposed to gay rights to a council that advises on a disease that affects a disproportionate amount of members of the gay community.

Basically, though, this is just another chance to spread that great chestnut of abstinence-only education as a way to stop AIDS. Remember, he did say this at Justice Sunday III: “My brothers and sisters, I will not go down without a fight! Be careful how you fool with the church! Don’t fool with the church because the church has buried many critics. All the critics we have not buried, we’re making funeral arrangements for!”

Let’s just hope Lusk doesn’t see people with AIDS as critics of the church. Gulp.

Bush names Lusk to HIV council [Philadelphia Gay News]
Jan. 11: On Justice Sunday and losing my religion