Perhaps the most shameful aspect of the whole story is the legion of
politicians, commentators and just plain snickering yahoos of every
persuasion to whom the sad story of Larry Craig proves Š exactly what they
believed before he became front-page news. Namely, that he exemplifies (a)
right-wing hypocrisy, or (b) the evils of homosexuality. Choose up sides and
let's fight. The facts in this case may not be clear but that doesn't keep a
lot of us from passing all-too-clear judgments.
In all the hubbub, the basic values that have often guided Americans through
changing cultural times tend to disappear. Basic values like tolerance,
fairness and simple decency. All need to be upheld, but how balance them?
Political and ideological passions tend to push aside reason and experience
at such times - whether the subject is the nature of family, the distinction
between private conduct and public propriety, or the relation between law
and morality.
The mess we make when we adopt arbitrary attitudes toward such questions is
illustrated here in Arkansas by a proposed initiated act that its sponsors
are trying to get on the ballot next year. It would prohibit "Unmarried,
Cohabiting Sexual Partners, Both Same Sex and Opposite-Sex" from adopting
children or serving as foster parents. No exceptions.
It's hard to imagine such a law being proposed if homosexuality were not
such a bugaboo in our society-as hard to imagine as a U.S. senator's
resigning in disgrace because he'd pled guilty to simple disorderly conduct.
Do we really want to prohibit unmarried couples, whatever their sexual
orientation, from adopting a child who needs a good home, or from serving as
foster parents? Doesn't it all depend on the individuals involved, and the
needs of the individual child? Not to mention the particular circumstances
in each case.
But reasoned judgment, subtle distinctions, a concern for the facts of the
matter, a sense of restraint Š they all seem to go out the window when the
subject is homosexuality. And snap judgments abound. One might as well make
snap judgments about the strange, sad and not very clear case of Larry
Craig.