Americans have a habit of not taking matters as seriously as we should unless we’re actually confronted up close and personally. Even terrorism took a back seat for many Americans until Nine-Eleven.
While I have well-formed beliefs in regards to homosexuality, it isn’t something that preoccupies my time. I write about it only rarely and even then it’s usually due to related events in the news. Last night however, I was confronted by a prime example of the effect sexual perversion has on our culture and I can’t rest until I vent the anger and revulsion that has dogged me all through the day. A recent article from the Sacramento Bee has only served to feed the fire.
I was spending the night in a truck stop in South Carolina. It was getting near eleven pm, and I was settled beneath the blankets with sleep rapidly approaching. All was well in my world.
Then came the soft knock at my driver’s side door. I had an idea what it would be. Hookers work truck stops all over the country. My normal response is to just ignore them. In this case the knocking continued until I finally gave up and opened the curtain. Standing there looking up expectantly at me was a boy of about 11 years.
My fatherly instincts kicked in and I rolled down the window and inquired as to what the young man had on his mind…
“Mister, would ya like a blow job for five bucks?”
I guess the look on my face must have answered his question. The kid turned and trotted away, leaving me both shaken and saddened. The police were not optimistic about finding him although they seemed sincere when they assured me they’d try.
How does an eleven year-old boy end up working as a male prostitute? What sort of life is he living? Are his parents totally unaware, or are they pimping this poor kid for drug money? What are his prospects for the future? How have we as a nation reached a point that such an outrage is possible?
As to the last question, the most obvious part of the answer traces straight back to the anything-goes mentality of liberal America. We live in a nation where homosexuals can adopt children. Responsible parents can end up in jail for delivering a proper spanking while sexual predators roam the streets in search of prey. School libraries include books that justify homosexuality and promote it as a normal and healthy lifestyle. Those who speak out against it are labeled homophobes and bigots. Hollywood contributes mightily to the problem with cinematic trash like “Brokeback Mountain.”
The problem doesn’t just come from the Left, however. The Right must also shoulder some of the blame.
Consider a recent article from the Sacramento Bee that describes the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, KS. According to the article, this small church has about 75 members, most of whom are part of the pastor’s “extended family.” Starting in the 90’s, these people were picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers, claiming that God was punishing them with death for defending a nation that harbors homosexuals.
Imagine being the widow of a fallen soldier, and having these freaks carrying signs at the funeral with slogans like “God hates fags.” Were I at one of these funerals, there’d be a need for another funeral by the time I was done. I honestly do not believe I could keep my temper. Free speech is one thing, but this? Can we not even respect those who wish to mourn the passing of their beloved?
While the mental midgets from Westboro Baptist Church certainly do not represent the mainstream of the Religious Right, they do shed light upon a growing problem. It’s a grand thing that conservatives have begun standing up for what we believe. But there is no room for extremism within the conservative ideology. True Conservatism is the antithesis of extremism. Misguided souls like these who misuse their constitutional right to gather in protest do nothing but harm. One can only imagine what a sermon in this church would be like. The venomous hatred on the part of the congregation is surely an extension of the hatred on the part of their pastor, Fred Phelps. I daresay it would rival any fundamentalist mosque in terms of pure vitriol.
Imagine a planning session by this congregation. Imagine these people getting together to make signs that state “God Hates Fags” while other churches around the nation are planning charitable events, disaster shelters and pro-life rallies. The church even staged a protest at a memorial for the 12 miners killed in the recent Sago mine incident in West Virginia. Their rationale? They believe that God killed the miners as punishment for America’s tolerance of homosexuals.
Groups like Westboro and their wonderful Reverend Fred rob the Right of our most precious tool: Credibility. They do as much harm to our cause as do those who bomb abortion clinics. We reject the tactics of radical Islam because they seek to force their perverse version of that religion upon the free world. We should also reject and act against groups like Westboro when they attempt to inflict themselves upon innocent souls who are mourning their deceased. People cannot be pushed to God. They must be willingly lead.
If we allow extremist groups like Westboro Baptist Church to become the face of Moral Conservatism, we will lose our fight for the soul of the nation. And if that happens, little boys selling themselves in truck stops will not be the worst of our problems.
Common sense always lies in the middle ground between the extremes. It matters not whether you’re a right-wing nut or a left-wing nut. You’re still a wing-nut.
Related Reading…
Sacramento Bee Article (Westboro Church):
http://www.sacbee.com/24hour/politics/story/3139581p-11847526c.html
Sago Memorial Protest:
http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/eyewitness/0601/060112-1.shtml
Alan Burkhart is a freelance political writer, cross-country trucker, and proud citizen of the reddest of the Red States - Mississippi. You can reach him via e-mail at: alan@alanburkhart.com or by visiting his website: www.alanburkhart.com.
