Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Governor Sanford and the Failure of Moral Politics
It’s satisfying to lambast a staunch social conservative for an extramarital affair on another continent. Govenor Sanford voted to impeach Bill Clinton, has been a solid opponent of gay marriage and often invokes the “word of God” to support his conservative policies. I understand, those emails were hilarious and the press conference was pathetic and those of us without full rights in the United States certainly want Sanford’s career to stay in the dumps.
But, all this hubub over an affair? As my parents would say, it’s just inappropriate sex.
The real failure in this sad story is a political platform based on a personal moral code.
Laws are put in place, ideally, to protect the most vulnerable members of society from those stronger than them. It’s why we have criminal law, tax law, family law, securities law, etc. A good law maker identifies a weak party and works to protect them, thus representing their constituents.
When law makers choose, instead, to identify a moral agenda, one that ignores the actual reality of people living in their district, and attempts to impose certain value systems based on that moral agenda, they target minorities and establish legal restrictions that fail to relate to problems voters face.
So, instead of working to find homes for children without parents, politicians like Governor Sanford oppose gay adoptions. Instead of ensuring that each taxpayer is given a credit for their dependants, Governor Sanford opposes the tax rights associated with gay marriage.
And like anyone who loses touch with reality, Sanford fell victim to his own fictions. His moral code bears no relation to the diverse country in which he lives. It turns out, his moral code bears little relation to his own life.
Moral politics ignore reality, they serve to ostracize and isolate vulnerable members of society and they are inevitably impossible to follow. Their separation from the messy human condition means that even the people imposing the morally based laws are sinners and transgressors.
We have a lot in common with Governor Sanford. We too have had to grapple with what we are taught is right and what we feel is honest and true. He’s just learning the lesson a little later in life. Perhaps his tragedy will teach others the folly of moral political policies and encourage law making that addresses the diverse populations facing difficult and myriad problems in the U.S. today.
No one believes this loudly moral stuff anymore. Usually there is a liar or a cheat hiding behind the one who spouts moral stuff the loudest. A truly moral person just does the right thing but doesn’t suggest it for anyone else.
Today, I went to the funeral of a good woman who let her actions and her life speak for her. Many people came up and spoke eloquently for her and remembered her kindly.
I remembered her big, beautiful smile as did so many. She was a lovely person who did genuine good for many. She had many friends.
The harsh moralizer, on the other hand, has fewer and fewer friends these days. Usually there is a person in moral decline behind these vocal displays and one day, his or her dark secrets are found out in the worst way.
The meek being lovingly elevated by many in the end by saying nothing and the loud and the arrogant coming to their downfall one day during their lives for every one to know.
HE NEEDS TO RESIGN OR BE RECALLED!
He is Now using the bible saying “he is like David in the bible”
These people will stop an nothing!
He and democrats in the SC senate will be getting my letters very soon that say they should be pushing for his resignation.
Or maybe SC marriage laws states that marriage is between one man, one woman and a mistress in Argentina?
If the breeders were truly interested in “defending marriage” they’d pass fewer laws regarding gay people and more laws regarding marriage itself.
How about a law against divorce if children are involved?
How about a law against adultery (since that’s what their precious marriage says is vorboten) which results in jail time?
How about a law which requires a REAL license to get married which would require classes, instruction and compatibility counseling approval?
How about laws making procreation a licensed activity–just like adoption laws, the prospective parents have to prove their financial and stability capabilities of caring for a child?
Breeders are just loving this passing of laws for “the other guy”. If they were serious about protecting marriage, they’d be passing some laws to control themselves.
I just passed this law recently:
MARRIAGE BAN FOR HYPOCRITES ACT 2009
(i) “any public employee of the state (democrate or republican) shall have there marriage null and void if any of the following is done:
(a) lie to the public;
(b) be a hyprocrical bigoted moron or act like a bigot with hateful, vilifying or embarrasing intentions;
(c) cheat on someone or have an affair with another person, secret or not secret, or;
(d) say that marriage is between people of the opposite sex consisting of one man and one woman as husband and wife to “protect the insitution of marriage” without a reason, logic, knowledge, back-up, justifying their silly or incedious claims.”
Passed: 27/6/2009 07:19am
Signed: 27/6/2009 08:00am
Effective: Once signed.
Drewski, I totally concur with your points. Sanford will get a fair shake because he’s straight. Even though he violated his own beliefs and the sanctity of marriage mantra, the right wing christo fascists will forgive him and move on. He vehemently opposed same sex marriage and even civil unions in his state. Yet, when it was Jim McGreevy, these religious extremists in tandem with the media roasted him alive and asked for his resignation immediately, which he did anyway of his own volition. The double standard these right wingers use is vile. Sanford’s behavior is a classic case of hypocrisy and bigotry in action and…oh so republican! No wonder they’re party is in exile, it can’t even take ownership of its hypocrisy and bigotry, let alone admit it.
Govenor Sanford is a cunt!!!!
Remember Larry Craig in a public Airport toilet??????????
Oh yes hyprocritical facist cunts with so-called “Moral Codes” agendas that they DO NOT follow themselves, but what others to follow the moral code, Republicans are so embarrassing to America!!!!!!
The fundamental problem is that many people in America still vote based on “moral” issues.
Mark Sanford is like many people of his ilk. He has trumpeted his religious values for the dual purpose of exciting people who like to hear such talk, and also as a cover for his personal guilt over his own actions. It’s not a coincidence that so many voices of “moral” politics are themselves often violating their own purported beliefs.
This is by no means limited to conservatives. I remember seething when Bill Clinton, who signed DOMA into law, stated openly that he was opposed to same-sex marriage for “religious reasons”. Of course his religion (Southern Baptist) also forbids adultery, but he seemed to have less of a problem ignoring that prohibition for his own personal gratification!
The lesson usually isn’t learned though. A great many people care more about symbolism than reality, and so moral politics will remain a fixture of American life.