Tenet, A weekly column on Politics, Policy and People
Published in the Winter Haven, FL News Chief
April 2, 1999
Accepting the Unacceptable
By Dale Bourdette
Over time we accept the unacceptable. Things we would never accept immediately, with time, we learn to live with and accept. Our passions can cool and there is a factor that we do not know what to do, so it is easier to accept rather than express outrage and do something!
Just look at the things we have accepted; practically unlimited abortion, teen age sex, teen age pregnancy, youth crime, the behavior of the President. I'm sure you can add to this list. And you and I have silently let it happen
A couple of things emphasized this to me lately. We were told that the President could "compartmentalize" and not have all his problems affect his ability to be President. We, as a society, are pretty good at compartmentalizing too.
Over time we came to accept the behavior with Monica by the President. He is doing a good job of "running the country" so why bother with such trivia.
We have now accepted the fact that either the President is a rapist, or that Mrs. Borderick is a provocateur of the worst kind. Whichever way you believe, you should be outraged. You are not. If you are, you are very silent.
Secondly in a recent Dear Abby column a parent of a 16 year old son was advised that she should not tell the parents of the 16 year old girlfriend that they were having sex. It would "undermine their relationship" (parent-son) and after all he was "acting responsibly" since he was using a condom.
Essentially the parent, if she took the advice, was defanged of a basic obligation. It is a very basic obligation of a parent to protect the child against behavior that is immoral, that can be life changing, that could put a baby in a very bad situation and that could effect these two families for generations. And believe me a sixteen-year-old is still a child, basically dumb as a board about the consequences of such action. Oh, but he is acting responsibly…Sure! The very act is irresponsible and Dear Abby assures us that he is telling the truth that he uses a condom each and every time… Sure! The parent was told to urge the son to have the girl tell her parents. After acting irresponsible, putting so many people in danger, the son is now expected to do the right thing. To often we do not do the right thing. We need some backbone. The parent should have told the son I am going to tell the other parents today… I'll give you a few hours to do it on your own. That would be a backbone implant!
That parent may not be the only one without the courage of her outrage. Too many times we don't say what should be said. We have been programmed not to judge. Who are you to condemn, or of course, if you are a Christian you should forgive and forget. Christianity has become very important to non-Christians, even if they pervert the meaning of the doctrine. It baffles me how so many non-Christians, who, by definition do not believe, use Christianity in their arguments.
Don't look down at that parent. Let me give you a test. At the next party if anyone ask you if you know someone in their circle using drugs. Likely you will say yes. But will you answer the question; Who is it? The answer will be Oh, I can't tell". Defanged. The power of outrage is gone! The unacceptable is accepted. The peer pressure for good is gone. Test this by seeing if you can get someone to tell you a name of a person using drugs.
I know sometimes it is better to cool it before you speak. But outrage is good, used in the proper way. Don't let that power be taken out of your arsenal. Going "ballistic" can be the appropriate and a very effective reaction.
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