It's satisfying to lambast a staunch social conservative for an extramarital affair on another continent. Governor Sanford voted to impeach Bill Clinton, has been a solid opponent of gay marriage and often invokes the "word of God" to support his conservative policies. I understand, those emails were hilarious and the press conference was pathetic and those of us without full rights in the United States certainly want Sanford's career to stay in the dumps.
But, all this hubub over an affair? As my parents would say, it's just inappropriate sex.
The real failure in this sad story is a political platform based on a personal moral code.
Laws are put in place, ideally, to protect the most vulnerable members of society from those stronger than them. It's why we have criminal law, tax law, family law, securities law, etc. A good law maker identifies a weak party and works to protect them, thus representing their constituents.
When law makers choose, instead, to identify a moral agenda, one that ignores the actual reality of people living in their district, and attempts to impose certain value systems based on that moral agenda, they target minorities and establish legal restrictions that fail to relate to problems voters face.
So, instead of working to find homes for children without parents, politicians like Governor Sanford oppose gay adoptions. Instead of ensuring that each taxpayer is given a credit for their dependents, Governor Sanford opposes the tax rights associated with gay marriage.
And like anyone who loses touch with reality, Sanford fell victim to his own fictions. His moral code bears no relation to the diverse country in which he lives. It turns out, his moral code bears little relation to his own life.
Moral politics ignore reality, they serve to ostracize and isolate vulnerable members of society and they are inevitably impossible to follow. Their separation from the messy human condition means that even the people imposing the morally based laws are sinners and transgressors.
We have a lot in common with Governor Sanford. We too have had to grapple with what we are taught is right and what we feel is honest and true. He's just learning the lesson a little later in life. Perhaps his tragedy will teach others the folly of moral political policies and encourage law making that addresses the diverse populations facing difficult and myriad problems in the U.S. today.
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I always love your thoughtful and reasoned essays.
Their doctrine essentially states that because people are elevated to positions of wealth and/or power, it's proof that God favors them over everyone else. And, like King David, there is nothing they can do wrong, because they have God's favor.
~WoulfLady~
well, it makes as much as most of the other moralizing they do...
Public politics is simply family politics writ large. When we disassociate them society becomes bipolar.
http://www.wallbuilders.com/
but will explore site later, it looks very interesting.
Oh, and son showed up to help this morning wearing a t-shirt that said
Got Walls ? (construction company tee). Nice timing !
This is a site I have enjoyed for a couple of years because it is a nicely done, well--documented, civil and intelligent counterpoint to the “Christian Nation” revisionist history.
Jonathan Rowe writes this about his blog:
“Yet another social commentary blog by a libertarian lawyer and college professor. This blog focuses on religion, sexuality, constitutional law, government policy, and the Founding. Everything is fair game though. Over the past few years, I've done much historical research on the Founding and Religion.”
Check his site out. I think you will be pleased you did!
Living in Alaska we still have a much stronger Native presence than the rest of the
country and a different perspective on what 'manifest destiny' meant to those already
here . . .
Liberals also believe fervently in separation of church and state. I do believe I would fight to the death to defend this principle. Theocracies are oppressive, autocratic, fascistic and cruel. There has never been a good theocracy, and there never will be.
I cannot understand finding the concept of "equality under the law" to be reprehensible.
What I do find reprehensible are the teachings of Leviticus. And while fundamentalist Christians say they believe in the literal word of the Bible, and then consistently violate the Bible themselves, they still use it as a weapon to recruit others to discriminate and harm homosexuals.
If Leviticus is so holy, can someone please explain to me why no one has called for Sanford to be be stoned to death? I'm absolutely serious. Gay rights advocates and all those who support equality have been merciful toward Sanford, and, frankly, I don't know why.
If we were to ask Sanford today, now that he has found true love, if he has any more compassion for same-sex marriage, for gay rights, for gay love, does anyone think his views will have changed? And does anyone think that he won't still use Leviticus to justify his bigotry?
Your morals are my morals.
And I couldn't careless who anyone sleeps with or marries.
And I wish Republicans felt the same.
That's really the worst aspect of our society. We take glee in seeing people who want to be a cut above the rest falter.
This is why conservatives tick me off. They can't see through their own hypocrasy. Sanford stood for one thing only-his loins. He doesn't care about his state, his job, family, or children. Just his lust. Didn't you read this article, haven't you been keeping up with this story? Sanford thrust his morals out there, every fu@king endless day! What gays should do, what poor minorities should do, and that Jeebus is the answer to all- such rubbish! He let his state, and his career go down the toilet because he found his soulmate? That's being a cut above?
He humiliated his wife because he of his petty selfish desires, and we should forgive him for abandoning his position, lying to his staff and the public, but impeaching Clinton was the right thing to do? Your comment makes my temples throb!
I don't hate freedom. But I don't trust people to just do the right thing if you let them, and eventually people will bring whatever they're into to you if you let them go unchecked.
The gop is, do as I say not as I do.
Until there are some morals included, the gop is clueless.
They are a laughing stock of government.
We can only hope they will resign or be voted out of power.
We do NOT need hypictitics running this country.
Yet, I don't think you can use this as a general assault on those who think you should have morality in public life. For instance, Bill Clinton was impeached for lying to a grand jury. Does anyone think it's moral to lie to a grand jury, and that it's okay?
Also, despite Sanford's failures, arguing for basic morailty is not a claim that any of us is perfect. That's kinda the whole point of Christian (and actually other) moral thinking. Nor is that to excuse his behaviour.
I'll refrain from extended comments on the fact that this columnist does not understand what a law is for (and don't tell me you have a law degree -- I mean, if this is what they teach, well, it wouldn't be surprising. I'm a professor (not law) and it's amazing what passes for higher ed these days).