Unsettled Christianity

Virginia lawmaker and anti-gay crusader Eugene Delgaudio’s latest rant about TSA pat-downs raised eyebrows all over. Easily one of Mr. Delgaudio’s most bizarre conspiracy theories, the email newsletter he distributed on November 20th includes such wild fantasy as:

…the next TSA official that gives you an “enhanced pat down” could be a practicing homosexual secretly getting pleasure from your submission.

Or it could be any sexual pervert, homosexual or heterosexual, or even pedophile that operates the “naked scanner”.

Thanks to a post on this blog, Loudoun Times reporter Nicholas Graham published a searing exposé on Delgaudio’s odd fixation on gay sex. Not surprisingly, Delgaudio’s claims had no actual basis:

He was also asked to authenticate his claims in the newsletter regarding the groping of children and sexual assault on women, but Delgaudio did not provide any first-hand knowledge of the allegations or provide other supporting evidence.

As a zealot, Delgaudio supports “opting out” of TSA screenings.

Currently, the website urges air travelers to join loosely-organized efforts to voluntarily opt-out of security screening measures as airports during one of the busiest travel days of the year.

“Today is Opt Out Day for Porno Scanners At Airports – Do your job America and Opt Out Today” reads one headline on the group’s website, publicadvocateusa.org. “All you have to do is just say no to the homosexual porno scanners,” the website declares.

As a lawmaker, Delgaudio’s district includes Dulles International Airport. His religious ramblings are drawing criticisms from TSA.

“We hope individuals don’t deliberately disrupt travel and the security of their fellow travelers during the busy holiday,” said Lauren Gaches, a spokesperson for the TSA, in an e-mail.