Joseph Bottum of First Things relays an email from a friend about the Catholic political appointee fired for publicly stating his views on homosexuality. Robert Smith was fired from the board of directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority by Maryland Gov. Robert Erlich (Republican) because Smith referred to gays and lesbians as “persons of sexual deviancy,” and said that homosexual behavior is deviant. He added that this is based on the teachings of his Catholic faith.
In comments related to the firing, Erlich said Smith’s comments were “highly inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable.” A fellow board member also said, “To defend this point of view is beyond the pale.”
That last phrase arrests the attention. What Governor Ehrlich and Smith’s colleagues on the WMATA board were saying is not just that they disagree with Smith about the moral quality of homosexual conduct, not just that Smith’s views are in error, not just that his views are unreasonable, but that they are immoral.
Yes, we have come to the point where Catholic teaching is considered by the mainstream of our society as not just disagreeable, but immoral and unacceptable.
The removal of Robert Smith is thus an early-warning sign. Unless things change in ways now quite unforeseeable, it will not be very long before the principle of traditional Western morality that homosexual conduct is immoral will be contrary to the public policy of the United States. As this new public policy takes hold, it will filter through the law and society just as other anti-discrimination norms have. Adherence to the new policy will be a de facto requirement for holding public office, and, as private entities adopt the policy as they have other anti-discrimination norms, people adhering to the traditional moral view will become unfit to serve as directors of public corporations, as officers of professional associations, as union officials, and as university professors. Organizations that do not ascribe to the policy may lose government licenses necessary to carry on their business, become ineligible to receive grants and subsidies, and be disqualified from bidding on government and other contracts.
Think this isn’t possible? Just ask Catholic Charities in Boston. And while ending racism was a laudable goal, the means used in that crusade will be used to end “homophobia.”
After all, just look at the reaction I’ve received in my comments and on other local blogs because I’ve said that homosexual activity is immoral and that the homosexual lifestyle is steeped in various kinds of deviancy. Notice that Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen called a sports columnist a “fag” and is now reduced to saying some of his best friends are gay and that he’s even attended a Madonna concert.
How soon before teaching your children basic Catholic moral principles is seen as child abuse? How soon before the teaching of the wonders of homosexuality is mandatory in schools? (It is in some places already.)
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