Let me start by asking a question: What do the writers at National Review Magazine and the talkers at Fox News have in common with Congressmen Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Allen West (R-FL)?
Answer: Their opinion on the subject of homosexuality is terribly uninformed, and thus they make lousy “opinion leaders.”
I’ll address Ryan and West in more detail later. Both men have made ridiculous statements concerning “homosexual rights” that reveals foundation-level ignorance.
Worse than NR, Fox, Ryan and West, of course, is the Republican Party itself, which is on the verge of nominating Mitt Romney. Romney’s open support for “homosexual rights” proves that he does not understand the nature of homosexuality and as a result does not support the U.S. Constitution’s protection of our God-given religious liberty. Once you understand the issue you realize that the homosexual agenda is completely incompatible with the First Amendment, which reads (with emphasis added):
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
To successfully advance the homosexual agenda, the First Amendment’s first freedom will have to be repealed, plain and simple.
Some of the most important information I’ll be using in upcoming articles comes directly from the writings of Laurie Higgins who is a cultural analyst at the Illinois Family Institute. For a number of years Higgins’ writings have helped many people understand the false premise that is at the foundation of the issue. Fortunately she does it in a way that’s easy to understand.
Not long ago Hillsdale College president Larry Arnn gave his definition of what the “teaching business” is:
“We practice the art of trying to make things plain. We think that the human mind works in such a way that if you can get to the bottom of a thing it should become clear. It doesn’t become hopelessly complex – it should become in some important ways, simpler.”
After reading Laurie Higgins’ writings, the ugly topic of homosexuality becomes a lot simpler.
The educational and communications challenge we face in this area is no different from any other area. One example where the challenge is the same is the contest between capitalism and socialism. Who would’ve thought that twenty-three years after Ronald Reagan left office we’d have to defend free markets against increased central planning? I’d argue the problem is rooted in our culture’s drift away from critical thinking. Here’s Wikipedia’s definition of “critical thinking”:
Critical thinking is the process of thinking that questions assumptions. It is a way of deciding whether a claim is true, false; sometimes true, or partly true.
If you don’t exercise critical thinking, you are susceptible to falling for the crazy notion that socialism will work this time (despite the fact that it never has before). Likewise, if you don’t exercise critical thinking concerning the realities of the homosexual agenda, you’re susceptible to falling for the arguments that dominate pop culture and education at all levels.
Laurie Higgins has pointed out that critical thinking cannot be fostered when only one side of the debate is heard. I’d add, too, that the conservative commentariat has failed miserably in the task of presenting counter arguments to those which emanate from the radical left. The lefties’ assumptions regarding the nature and morality of homosexuality go largely unchallenged. The result is that the public falls for it and the scale of ignorance increases.
Up next: A media without credibility, and opposing the radical left is the way to win elections.
Read the entire series here.
