Defining Deviancy Down - Part 2

The late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan coined that phrase back in the 1990's. It went something like this (I paraphrase) - over the past generation or so, the amount of deviant behavior in American society has increased so much so that conduct previously stigmatized as bad for society, is now looked upon as being normal.

Much of this behavior has come about by people trying to do good, but end up doing damage to society with their good intentions. The principle of “unintended consequences” seems to have happened to our society, and to many, not for the better.

Yes, there is a “culture war” going on in our country today and it seems like the “bad guys” are winning the war. Let's take a look at what is happening in our country today.

There was a time that having a baby out-of-wedlock was considered a big “no-no” and shouldn't be praised or subsidized by society. Today, the birth rate of single mothers is approx. 40% (73% in the black community). Ever since the advent of the “War on Poverty”, under then Pres. Lyndon Johnson, the “illegitimate” birth rate has skyrocketed. The government, while attempting to do good by financially helping single mothers, has exacerbated the problem by basing their aid on the absence of a father in the home. Voila, no husband, no father, which equals more crime (as the kids grow up without a father) and more government dependence and handouts.

Another area where we have “defined deviancy down” is in our use of drugs for recreational purposes. It used to be frowned upon, as drug use was mostly confined to jazz musicians and hippie types. Now drug use, which is still mostly illegal, is looked up, in some circles, as being “chic” and the “in thing” (even Pres. Obama has admitted to drug use in the past). Today, we see a concerted campaign, by some, to legalize marijuana, not only for medicinal purposes, but for recreational use as well. Some states have already legalized it with many more soon to follow. Most predict that legalization of all drugs will happen sometime in the near future. That is “defining deviancy down”.

Another area where we have seen us “defining deviancy down” is the legitimizing gay marriage and the normalization of deviant sexual practices and behavior. The advocates of gay marriage are pushing for acceptance in order to have society legitimatize their sexual behavior. Homosexuality has been around since the dawn of time, but the idea of same-sex marriage has not taken hold until the last decade or so. Advocates of gay marriage contend that the gay lifestyle should be looked upon as a normal alternative to a heterosexual lifestyle. Even though the gay population numbers only around 3%, they have been successful in winning the hearts and minds of the media, academia, and left-leaning politicians and unelected liberal judges around the country, who then, in turn, push the gay agenda of acceptance of their lifestyle. Once you unlock the door to the common sense of natural, traditional marriage, there really is no end to the aberrant forms of sexual preferences that will then be suing to demand marriage rights. And, if marriage can mean anything, then marriage means nothing.

Yes, Daniel Patrick Moynihan was prescient back in the 1990's when he warned us that we were “defining deviancy down”, and that it would someday come back to bite us in the butt big time. That time might just be here now.

Conservative commentary by Chuck Lehmann