to eradicate racism
by Kim Stephenson • Page 24
Savage sins
Dan Savage travels
the country to learn
what he already
knew: Sin is in
by
S a r a h L eimert
uring the course of the past 10 years, gay Seattle writer Dan
Savage has proven himself to be quite a sex advice colum
nist. “Savage Love,” found locally in The Portland Mercury,
is syndicated in more than 70 newspapers worldwide.
D
His new book, Skipping Towards Gomorrah: The Seven
Deadly Sins and the Pursuit of Happiness in America, proves h e ’s a
m an who can write mean political com m entary as well. It does
n ’t seem like an easy leap, but he does it with panache.
Having previously published two books, Savage Love:
Straight Answers from Americas Most Popular Sex Columnist
and The Kid: What Happened After M y Boyfriend and I Decided
to G o Get Pregnant, along w ith acting as editor of the Seattle
alternative weekly (and Mercury big sister) The Stranger, Sav
age is no, er, stranger to mixing his sex w ith his politics.
Skipping is a direct answer to the constant prattle of America’s
“moral conservative scolds” or, as the writer puts it, the “virnie-
crats." A parade of self-righteous conservatives including Bill
Bennett, Pat Buchanan, Laura Schlessinger and Robert Bork
have had their chance at sin-condemning; now it’s Savage’s turn
to dismantle each of their arguments, sin by deadly sin.
You could sit around and do this in your living room, but Sav
age hit the road, traveling around the United States, celebrating
and eagerly committing each of the seven deadly sins (research).
This is quite a book from a man who’s seen it all. From
problem gamblers and married swingers to fat-acceptance co n
ferences and shooting ranges, the author throws himself
Continued on Page 37
Dan Savage hits Portland
on N ov. 1