Just when you thought you had heard it all, the American Family Association of Indiana's Micah Clark comes through with another wingnut idea to breed more hatred against gays. This time he's holding gays responsible for sex offenses against children.
Discussing the recent signing of several child protection measures by Gov. Mitch Daniels (R), which were approved this year with the support of the AFAI, Clark explains that the new laws only address half the problem in dealing with sex offenses against children. Clark laments that we have become a "sex-obsessed modern culture culture", and that we have "embraced a code of sexual anarchy which starts with the phrase 'if it feels good, do it' and ends with 'who are you to judge?'" And then he expains the heart of the problem as he sees it. "We pass laws that embrace bisexuality and legitimize homosexuality." He adds, "[U]ntil America takes serious steps to address the poisonous amoral culture we have unleashed upon ourselves, we will continue to have an epidemic of sick people who harm children, regardless of the legal consequences."
Clark doesn't explain that the vast majority of child molesting cases involve heterosexuals, and that many of those cases involve another family member. Instead, Clark deceptively tries to blame the problem on homosexuality as another way of fomenting hatred against gays, just as his Christian hate group does with the gay marriage issue. He would have you to believe that the greatest threat to the "traditional" marriage is gay marriage, even though a majority of all "traditional" marriages end in divorce without any help from gays.
Passing meaningful laws to punish child sex offenders is commendable. But using these efforts as a pretext for attacking homosexuality is reprehensible. Clark shows us all just how disingenuous he and his Christian right friends are when it comes to protecting our children.
4 comments:
Gary-- I generally respect and enjoy your work on this blog. I would like to take issue with one aspect of the last paragraph. Before I am called a nattering na-bob of negativity, might I point out that the new AP-stylebook for journalists (and your work often reaches that level) does not use the word "homosexual" except in clinical situations. It prefers gay or lesbian or some combination.
For instance, in the last paragraph, Clark is not attacking homosexuality -- some faceless, amorphous blob of terrible disease -- in his words. Rather he is attacking gays and lesbians-- our families-- or economic stability (i.e jobs and housing) and the right to pursue happiness in relationships which have the same benefits as those now "sanctioned by the state." The phrase gay or lesbian brings to mind a real person. When was the last time someone in our community identified himself/herself as homosexual, rather than gay or lesbian/ bi or transgender?
Just a note for future reference -- I think the other side wins when we use their language.
Randy, with all due respect, I find nothing wrong with my usage or believe it is inconsistent with the AP style book in the context it is used here. I used the term "homosexuality" in the clinical sense. See http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2006/03/glaad-about-aps-new-stylebook-entries.html
you indicate: "that the vast majority of child molesting cases involve heterosexuals, and that many of those cases involve another family member". can you cite studies that support this?
i disagree with a lot of your posts, but not the ones about these guys. you're about the only blogger in indianapolis that i've read who monitors these folks and holds them up to the light of reason.
by the way, i've been married for 25 years (to the same woman), attend church weekly, have seven children and read your blog regularly.
keep up the good work.
Alan,
There are several sites which have statistics. Here's one: http://www.yellodyno.com/html/child_molester_stats.html
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