Comparing Notes

I've signed to receive e-mail notices from a number of organizations, some on the political left, others on the political right. It's interesting to compare notes when more than one of them send a release on the same news item.

That heppened this week regarding comments made by a Washington DC Metro Board Member Robert J. Smith. Metro is the transportation system, including subway and buses, that serves DC, Virginia, and Maryland. The three juristrictions share the cost and governing of the system, and Smith was appointed to the board by the governor of Maryland, Robert Ehrlich.

For reasons that escape me, Smith was on a Montgomery County (Maryland) cable show and said, "Homosexual behavior, in my opinion, is deviant. I'm a Roman Catholic."

Frankly, I don't really care what a transportation official believes about homosexuality, but a public official making this kind of remarks on television, even local cable, is newsworthy.

On Friday, Governor Ehrlich responded to the situation by removing Smith from the board.

That action prompted two press releases I received in my e-mail.

The first, from Equality Maryland, said:

“All fair-minded Marylanders should appreciate the action taken by Governor Ehrlich in swiftly and seriously addressing these repugnant comments by his appointee. It is good that he recognized that such hostile and hateful comments about any group of people makes him inappropriate for public service,” said Dan Furmansky, Executive Director of Equality Maryland.
According to a statement released by Governor Ehlrich, “Robert Smith’s comments were highly inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable. They are in direct conflict to my administration’s commitment to inclusion, tolerance and opportunity."

Later, the American Family Association sent out a press release titled, "'Tolerant' Governor fires 'Intolerant' Christian.

"Gov. Ehrlich said he is intolerant to any view that opposes the full social acceptance of homosexual behavior and its promotion in government. He said Smith's comments were "highly inappropriate, insensitive and unacceptable. They are in direct conflict to my administration's commitment to...tolerance." Gov. Ehrlich contradicted his own statement! He is promoting tolerance toward homosexual practice while being intolerant to Smith's Christian beliefs and the teaching of his church. "

The AFA release continued, "Smith was fired not because he wasn't doing a good job. He was fired not because of his practice, but because of his thinking! He was fired because he held different beliefs. So much for tolerance! If this firing stands, it means that any Christian who states publicly that homosexual practice is morally wrong does so at the risk of being fired. "

The AFA loves for people to send e-mail to people the organization think has done something wrong, so they were nice enough to include the governor's e-mail address.

My position is to agree with Equality Maryland. Even if someone is just responsible for running the trains and buses, he should not be on the public record condemning any part of the general population.

The AFA used a common tactic of the religious right by making their side look like the victim. It's okay to condemn people publicly, in their slanted view, but wrong to hold them accountable.

Then again, the religious right isn't good at holding themselves accountable, just others.