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May 2, 2002/Nisan 30, 5763 Vol. 55, No. 36
Beyond Santorum's society
BARRY COHEN
Editor
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) is concerned about maintaining the fabric of society - as he defines it. In his recent AP interview he said that threats to society are everywhere.
One is when two consenting adult males engage in sex in the privacy of their bedroom. He said that if the Supreme Court affirms the right for such consensual sex by overturning a Texas sodomy law, "... you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery."
Santorum places homosexual acts on par with these categories as threats to "the basic tenets of our society and family."
I agree that consenting adults engaging in polygamy, incest or adultery should be illegal.
- Polygamy: This is a vestige that our society has overwhelmingly discarded.
- Incest: I reject the thought that an adult can truly consent to engage in incest. I also fear for the health of a child born from incest.
- Adultery: Such an act violates a civil contract signed by a husband and wife.
However, I do not believe that society is threatened by ruling sodomy laws as unconstitutional.
My opinion runs counter to Jewish tradition.
According to Torah, homosexuality is a sin. "Do not lie with a male as one lies with a woman; it is an abomination." (Leviticus 18:22) In addition, tradition dictates that both the homosexual is a sinner and homosexual acts are sinful.
And yet, the Reform Jewish Movement in 1977 passed a resolution: "Whereas the Central Conference of American Rabbis has consistently supported civil rights and civil liberties of all peoples ... be it therefore resolved that we encourage legislation which decriminalizes homosexual acts between consenting adults..."
Just as rulings by Jewish institutions and organizations continue to evolve through the centuries, so too does our society continue to develop and grow more sophisticated.
Evidence is the reality that homosexual lifestyles are becoming accepted not as a choice but as part of core human identity; also, lesbian and gay adoption in some states is legal.
One final word about Santorum's view of sodomy. Many sodomy laws not only criminalize homosexual male sex, but also lesbian sex, and oral and anal sex between heterosexuals. He said he even views these sexual expressions between heterosexuals as a threat to society because they are "acts outside of traditional heterosexual relationships."
Santorum has his opinions and his constitutionally protected right to express them. There are other opinions, around the dinner table, in houses of worship, in the city square, in state legislatures, and in the Supreme Court.
For the sake of our society's continued evolution, we must raise our voices to express the vision of what we hope to be.
Santorum has expressed his vision.
Thank goodness we have alternatives.
Contact the writer at barry_cohen@jewishaz.com.
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