November 14, 2004

Blurring lines of moral equivalency

By William J. Becker Jr.
A glittering constellation of populist inquiries into what defines 'moral values' illuminates the black velvet canvas of ideological debate like never before.  A starry alignment, of sorts, occurred recently when Alan Simpson, the folksy former senator from Wyoming, paid a visit to Bill Maher's HBO program Real Time with Bill Maher.  Simpson suffered an onslaught of heretical insults that managed to unapologetically and simultaneously vilify Christians and venerate homosexuals.  That such attacks occur on Maher's program is, of course, not surprising.  Maher's unabashed animus toward religion is a staple of his comedy act (I reject seriously denominating him or any other Frankenian jester a pundit).  His denunciations of Christianity draw wild applause.  So too his reverent encomiums to men who love men and women who love women. But it was not Maher's predictable pelting of Christians on this broadcast that was sig—nificant.  Simpson showed...(Read Full Article)