In the commentary on the recent sex scandals, which seem to claim a new scalp every week, a certain disclaimer is often issued. It’s something even conservatives such as Tucker Carlson have uttered: “Of course, it happens on both sides.”
Well, technically, yeah.
At perhaps a 10-to-1 ratio.
Liberal to conservative.
No, that’s not a scientific number. But it’s likely far more astute than the reflexive “happens on both sides” effort at equivalence, which is much like the water-muddying diversionary pronouncement “There are Christian terrorists, too!”
Just consider some of the men recently revealed as guilty of sexual misconduct: Harvey Weinstein (shown), Senator Al Franken, Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, Kevin Spacey, Ben Affleck, screenwriter James Toback, The Loud House creator Chris Savino, Vox Media editorial director Lockhart Steele, journalist Mark Halperin, NPR editor Michael Oreskes, NPR Chief News Editor David Sweeney, NPR host Garrison Keillor, reporter Glenn Thrush, actor Jeffrey Tambor, Representative John Conyers, New Republic editor Leon Wieseltier, comedian Louis C.K., music producer Russell Simmons, and CNN senior producer Teddy Davis.
Against these 20 leftists, during the same time period, we have on the “right” (maybe) Judge Roy Moore and ex-president G.H.W. Bush; that is, if you consider Bush a conservative, believe the allegations against them and ignore that neither has been taken down by them.
Moreover, inclusive of many recent and not-so-recent licentious leftists, we have the following 61-name list, courtesy of American Thinker:
Also note that of the above individuals, American Thinker editor Thomas Lifson writes, “13 were involved in some form of pedophilia … from kiddy porn to child sexual molestation … over 20%. What a great movement, that progressivism!”
Of course, some may point out that going back decades, additional conservative transgressors can also be found. True, but the above list isn’t all-inclusive. If you’d cite Bill O’Reilly and Roger Ailes (assuming we can call them conservatives), I’d raise you Digital Entertainment Network founders Marc Collins-Rector and Chad Shackley (convicted of child sex offenses). If you’d mention Idaho Republican ex-senator Larry Craig, I’d pull out former New Jersey Democrat governor Jim McGreevey. If you’d show GOP congressman Mark Sanford, whose extra-marital affair ended his South Carolina governorship, I’d counter with Democrat ex-senator Gary Hart, whose extra-marital affair ended his 1988 presidential run. If you’d produce Republican Denny Hastert, who abused underage teen boys, I’d produce late Democrat Harvey Milk, who also abused underage teen boys (but nonetheless is now honored). Further dishonorable mention would be leftists Woody Allen; director Victor Salva; child talent agent Marty Weiss; late congressman Gerry Studds, who had sexual relations with a teen boy; and the Hollywood pederast cartel in general. My guess is that you’d run out of cards before I do.
Not everyone agrees that leftists dominate in the sphere of sexual misconduct, however. Columnist Michael Kinsley wrote last year of his opposite impression, and it’s unsurprising that the less-astute would draw such a conclusion. After all, up until the recent scandals — and, even now, you don’t hear “Look, another lib charged with sexual abuse!” — the media only had a taste for outing conservative transgressors. The Hastert-Milk comparison is a perfect example: What’s labeled misconduct with conservatives is too often with liberals just considered “conduct.”
So is leftism conducive to perversion? It is, but there’s more to it. Kinsley wrote that maybe “it’s not that conservatives tend to be pervs (as Donald Trump charmingly called Anthony Weiner) but that pervs tend to be conservative.” Right logic — wrong group.
While I often write about the “relativism” of the Left, today I’ll keep it simple and relate the insight I had into this matter as a young, 20-something man: People embrace liberalism to justify their own misdeeds.
Think about leftism’s message: You’re not responsible for what you do (e.g., kid-glove “justice”), you don’t have to pay for what you get (e.g., government handouts), it can’t be wrong if it’s consensual (e.g., sexual perversion). The only homage you must pay is to bow at political correctness’ altar. But that’s fine because it’s actual morality leftists want a dispensation from — not faux “morality.”
Why do you think leftists continually attack (traditional) sexual morality? While there can be more than one reason, the dominant one — remember that people are governed by emotion more than reason — is that they themselves have an affinity for behaviors that this morality condemns. So they condemn it.
So it’s an old, and very human, story: People seek to justify themselves. They attack what threatens their power. They attack what threatens their wealth. They attack what threatens their status. So what would you conclude about the group that most attacks what threatens sin?
Photo: AP Images
