What Rules The Rule Of Law?
By Patrick Rooney (03/12/04)
Arnold Schwarzenegger rode in to the California governor’s mansion last November on the white horse of reform. The state was in a full-blown economic crisis, hung over from a spending binge, and reeling from a badly managed power crisis. Arnold’s moral compass was thought to be a bit shaky, but like Bill Clinton before him, he safely ducked in under the “it’s the economy, stupid!” banner.
During the campaign, Arnold, in typical nuanced language, said he was okay with homosexual domestic partnerships, but against “gay” marriage. Now he’s changed his tune, seemingly blind to the fact it’s not “the economy, stupid”-- “it’s the society, stupid!”
After allowing thousands of illegal “gay weddings” to be performed in San Francisco before acting, Schwarzenegger revealed that he now has no problem with “gay” marriage, and that he is opposed to President Bush’s desire for a Constitutional amendment banning it.
Yet the governor said that he’s for upholding current California law which states that marriage is only for a man and a woman, because he believes in the rule of law.
Now upholding the law is a good thing. But Arnold’s statements reveal the ultimate vacuity of his philosophy. For a leader is expected to lead -- particularly morally. And if he cannot support the idea that marriage between a man and a woman is the rock upon which society sits, then he and we have a problem.
This “mob rule” philosophy runs counter to our purpose as a nation. Yes, we are a nation of laws, but there’s something behind these laws -- the wisdom of moral principle. To declare yourself ready to stand behind whatever laws the current citizenry want to push through -- without any moral input -- is frightening, and reveals a void of true leadership and insight.
Actually Arnold’s recent pronouncements serve to explain his reticence to stop the anarchous behavior in San Francisco, the Sodom of California. He has belatedly instructed the state’s liberal Attorney General, Bill Lockyear, to enforce current state law. But he’s doing it under pressure, and his heart can’t be in it. Otherwise he would have had San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom arrested so quick he might sue Arnold -- for whiplash.
It’s funny how evil is having its way. Everyone knows San Francisco has wantonly trampled the law. Homosexuality, the ultimate rebellion against God and nature, has been encouraged to flourish, and it has become an ugly political beast indeed.
Radical homosexuality is on the offensive. In San Francisco it is laughing in the face of society. And government’s response is to throw up some timid, time-consuming legal action, meanwhile allowing the lawbreakers to continue their crimes, and encouraging similar lawbreaking across the country.
Why isn’t the situation reversed? Why not throw the treacherous government officials in jail, and let the courts sort it out later?
The reason that won’t happen is that evil is strong in its evil, and “society” is weak in its good. It’s no more complicated than that.
Too many conservatives are afraid to assert themselves in the political and cultural arena. Meanwhile “moderates” are gutting the moral center. Propelling themselves into power by campaigning on the “important” issues, they are now in position to stop the necessary national turn back to morality. Like Schwarzenegger in California, a number of rudderless Republicans have joined Democrats in opposition to the president’s call for a Constitutional ban on “gay” marriage.
Since we as a people have shown little interest in preserving our national soul, it is now being ripped out of our body. And contrary to the “wisdom” of some of our political leaders, once the soul is ripped out, the body is sure to follow.
It is time for those who claim they have “faith” to show some “works,” because a nation of moral “faith” without works to back it up -- will soon enough be dead.
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