Proliferating rumors because I can.

"If the mayor is gay, he should resign," said David Chambers of Hyde Park. Chambers did not vote for Mallory. He knew nothing about Mark Mallory, other than that he is black.

Mallory is a snappy dresser, he lives at home, he has never been married and he enjoys long walks on the beach. Of course these do not add up to a giant rainbow. His sexual preference shouldn’t matter, and it doesn’t. But there are hundreds of thousands of Cincinnatians who might disagree.

"If he wasn’t honest with the people of Cincinnati," continued Chambers. "If he is lying about his sexuality, what else is he willing to lie about?"

Would Mallory’s sexual preference have tilted the vote into Pepper’s favor? Most assuredly. The right wing Christianists wouldn’t have stood for the gay nonsense. There would have been a whole new group of anti-faggot-Christianists looking for their 15-spot on the local news to slander his name and tell you proudly, with a King James Bible in hand, that it’s a sin for the square peg to go into the round hole.

I asked Mallory’s Chief of Staff, Carla Walker, about the mayor’s sexual preference.

"The mayor’s personal life is exactly that–personal," said Walker.

Rumors have been spewing about Mallory’s sexuality since his earliest days in Columbus. His intern-turnover-rate was higher than that of Sitwells' waitstaff.

And there is speculation that one intern may have attempted litigation against the former senator for attempted fondling. Of course none of this, so far, has an ounce of truth. But the truth always comes out. Just ask former New Jersey Governor James McGreevey. A promising politico whose career ended because he lied to his constituents about what he wanted. What he wanted was to get humped by a male staff member under the guise of being heterosexual. McGreevey has kept a low profile since his outing. The gay community did their best to thrust him into the spotlight as their martyr for gay rights, but McGreevey wanted no part of it. He remains water-cooler fodder for the homophobes and the intelligence-challenged.

I dig further with Walker. "By not answering the question about his sexuality, you are in fact telling me that he is a homosexual. If it’s not a big deal then just say it, Mallory is a homo–or not."

"The mayor is building a new future for Cincinnati. His personal life is not for public scrutiny," said an agitated Walker. "Thank you, good bye."

Anti-gay and Republican Rick West was elected mayor of Spokane, Washington.  Rick West was recalled with 65% of the vote because he was using his government computer to lure young gay men into late night rendezvous.

And it seems that Texas Governor Rick Perry will eventually be standing alongside McGreevey and West in the forest of indignity as his administration is enduring a sex scandal that has him linked to a penis, not his own. The Governor’s wife, apparently fed up with his faggotry decided to out him by spreading lurid stories of his gay-promiscuity. Stay tuned as this one is still in progress.

"It shouldn’t matter if you are gay. There are too many people that need help to be concentrating on sexuality," said University of Cincinnati student Amanda Thompson. "The world is too hung up on non-issues."

Recently, at a Clifton barbershop a few locals dove headlong and hairshort into a conversation about Mallory. They were excited about the new mayor. They raved that he was going to make the city better. And then I mentioned that the Mayor was gay. I told them of the rumors that I knew just to see their reaction. The conversation slowed up. The niceties and constant chatter ceased for a few moments.

"I didn’t hear that", one man said. With his voice lower and draped with a hint of disappointment the man said softly, "Well, we needed a change even if he is gay."

It will now be more important than ever for Mallory to protect the issue of his sexuality. He must if he wants to continue his political career. Otherwise he will be standing right along side McGreevey and West. Being outed from his sexuality could result in being outed from the mayor’s office.

Let's just hope he fixes Cincinnati before that happens.