I understand, and in some ways can even commend, Michael Gerson’s defense of his friend, disgraced Rep. Mark Souder of Indiana. But there is something that Gerson should understand. When Democrats mock socially conservative politicians who are exposed as less than morally upright, we are not mocking the values they espouse. At least, that is not the case in the vast majority of cases. When Democrats behave badly (as Eliot Spitzer did in betraying his wife with prostitutes or John Edwards did by betraying his family, his supporters, the Democratic Party, and the country in trying to win the nomination why hiding his love child) they are no longer welcome to represent us. Democrats recognize the value of committed relationships and fidelity within those relationships. When politicians cheat on their spouses, Democrats punish them. This is different from what social conservatives typically do. John Ensign cheated on his wife with a staffer who happened to be another’s staffer’s wife. Then he paid them hush money to cover it up. He’s still in office. David Vitter paid a prostitute to dress him up in a diaper, and he’s not only running for reelection but he is currently favored to win. Mark Sanford was allowed to fill out his term even after misappropriating state resources to carry out an affair in Argentina. Republicans get caught not just being morally weak, but caught demonstrating the highest levels of hypocrisy, and then they just mouth some tripe about being a sinner and seeking forgiveness, and somehow they are allowed to continue in office as if nothing had happened.
I know forgiveness is the central message the Redeemer descended to Earth to send, and I’m not arguing against forgiveness. But accountability would be nice. It was refreshing to see Mark Souder resign. That makes it much easier to forgive him. Yet, resignation is the exception among Republicans.
Now, I admit there is an exception. Democrats do mock Republicans who get caught having homosexual relationships if those Republicans have voted against gay rights. And we do so to not only mock their hypocrisy but to show our disagreement with the underlying values they espouse. It often seems that the most intolerant gay-bashers turn out to be closeted gays. If they’d come out in the open and stop thumping their Bible at us, we’d treat them like we treat anyone else. But they attacked the gay community while being gay themselves, and that involves a degree of betrayal along with everything else. That is hard to forgive. And one must first ask for forgiveness before it should be granted.
So, it may be true that decadence is worse than hypocrisy, but Democrats are perfectly willing to condemn immoral behavior. In fact, they are more willing to condemn it than Republicans are.
