Talking Points Memo (TPM) is reporting that Kathleen Betts, a constituent in State Representative Tom Morrison’s legislative district, is troubled that Illinois Representative Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) dared to suggest that the legalization of same-sex “marriage” may lead to the legalization of polygamy or relationships that currently constitute violations of statutory rape laws.

Applying consistently the beliefs of the Left that propel the push to legalize same-sex “marriage,” however, will necessarily lead to the legalization of plural unions, including polygamous, polyandrous, and polyamorous unions. If, as the Left asserts, marriage has no inherent connection to sexual complementarity or reproductive potential, and if it’s solely about who loves whom, what rational basis is there to prohibit plural unions?

If we were to apply consistently the beliefs of the Left, wouldn’t Ms. Betts’s apparent opposition to legalized polygamy indicate her prejudice toward—perhaps even hatred of—polygamists, polyamorists, and bisexuals? Why should they be denied their right to marry the persons they love? Who is she to impose in law her biases against polygamists and polyamorists? Shouldn’t she evolve on the issue of marriage equality for polygamists, polyandrists, polyamorists, and bisexuals like President Obama and Senators Portman and Kirk have evolved on same-sex “marriage”? And wherever did Betts come up with the magic number two as an essential criterion for marriage?

Of course, conservatives understand the derivation of the binary requirement. It derives from the objective fact that there are two sexes, an inconvenient fact that escapes the marital reasoning of “progressives.” They remove sexual complementarity and reproductive potential from their understanding of marriage and are then left with this now utterly irrational binary requirement—a vestigial organ that will soon be surgically removed as a diseased relic, no longer necessary to the proper functioning of “marriage.”

In their brave new world, where the twoness of marriage no longer has any meaning, purpose, or justification, they’ll still absurdly take umbrage at the suggestion that legalized same-sex “marriage” necessarily leads to legalized plural marriage. Logic means next to nothing to “progressives” who live and move and have their being in subjectivism and emotionalism.

Whereas a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, retreat from a commonsense, logical consistency is the hobgoblin of Leftist minds.

I would take issue with one thing that Morrison did: He apologized. Although it was likely motivated by sincere regret for causing offense, it was unnecessary.

The ethical legitimacy of our public speech is not determined by the subjective response of our audience. “Progressives,” obsessed with “feelings” far more than truth or logic, exploit the natural human desire to be liked and not to offend. They talk ad nauseum about feeling “unsafe” or hurt by the expression of ideas, including moral propositions about volitional behavior, with which they disagree. This strategy works because we let it work.

Imagine if we applied this “progressive” idea consistently. Imagine if we said no one should express any idea or moral proposition that makes others uncomfortable or with which they disagree. No one could express any moral propositions publicly. We couldn’t say, for example, that racism, adultery, or polygamy is immoral because it might hurt the feelings of the racist, adulterer, or polygamist who hears it.

The truth is that the ethical legitimacy of our speech is wholly unrelated to how our audience “feels” or thinks about the content of our words. The ethical legitimacy of our speech is determined by its truth (i.e., we should not lie) and the manner in which we deliver it (i.e., we should not hurl epithets, use obscene or profane language, or scream at people). Rep. Morrison spoke truth and from all accounts did so respectfully. He bears no guilt for the feelings Ms. Betts had about his ideas. No apology was owed.

The Republican Party desperately needs more lawmakers with the integrity, wisdom, courage, and grace of Tom Morrison.

(Photo by Robert Black)

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