the problem in this country is not intolerance of diversity. it is the failure to call a spade a spade. it is the failure to accept absolutes. it’s the failure to admit that right and wrong do exist, and that there are lines that have been crossed in this societal free-for-all. not everything is beautiful. not everything should be acceptable. we shouldn’t be afraid to say something if we see something going on that we think is morally wrong.

it’s easy for us to look at guys like former representative mark foley, or barney frank, or some of the other creepy guys previously in congress and condemn them for their behavior. it’s a no-brainer. it’s wrong to abuse your position of authority in this way, whatever the circumstances are. whether it’s with an intern, or a page, or a non-consenting adult, it’s wrong. we should all agree that our representatives, senators, and former presidents have something better to do with their time than scamming on subordinates.

it is harder to admit that we have gone too far in our attempts to be open-minded and tolerant of all kinds of questionable behavior. we don’t want to offend anybody with our beliefs, or make any attempt at all to rock the boat in any way. what are deeply held beliefs worth if they are never expressed? that doesn’t mean hating anyone for a lifestyle choice or a weakness in their personal life. it means caring about someone enough to be honest with them about what you think, even if you know they will disagree with you. it means being willing to lose their friendship if that’s how it turns out.

in the modern world, serious relationships have been discredited. the view of sex as a part of a committed marriage relationship has been very much devalued by our culture. it’s also considered madness to suggest that maybe, just maybe, premarital sex might cause more harm than good in a relationship. consider how insane the suggestion that teens should not be having sex at all and that they need to control themselves seems to be to some people. there is an absence of common sense in this country right now in some circles, and it’s becoming contagious.

our society sends mixed signals to women. what they tell us is that they respect us, that they are the ones who allow us to make our own choices and maximize our opportunities, and that we are special and beautiful just as we are. it would be easier to believe this if we weren’t inundated with ads that explain how inadequate we are without the latest fashions, expensive skincare products, and those suggestions that we might be more worthy people with a little bit of plastic surgery. it’s all bogus, and we should resist the impulse to fall into that trap.

we should also call a foul on those trying to sell the concept that porn actually empowers women. that is an absolute lie. it’s harmful to women. it gives them a distorted picture of themselves. it makes them want to be famous for their looks, and not for their ability and achievements outside of the industry. if we are going to denounce sexual predators, pedophiles, and similar creeps, then we should also speak out against the industry that usually enables their fantasy life. do i believe that every single person who looks at porn falls in this category? no, but i do believe that it could be the beginning of a dangerous addiction, and for the sake of the women in their lives, they NEED TO STOP looking at it.

***i know that there may be someone living in SoCal reading this who may see this as a personal attack. be assured it is not. we disagree on this, as we have disagreed on many things in the past. sometimes i just have to write what i think, even if it may cause a fight between us(and sometimes it does). that’s what we have always done, and somehow it always worked out ok. i hope that’s true in this case. ***