Talk-radio doctor never afraid to speak her mind

  • ANDREW TUCKER / edge correspondent
  • Monday, September 11, 2000 9:00pm
  • Local News

In the spring, when Dr. Laura Schlessinger claimed that homosexuality was a "biological error" and "deviant," it was not the first time she spoke her mind.

Almost daily, people call her radio talk show with troubling situations and, in return, she tells them exactly what she thinks. On her new television show, she will continue to do this.

Never call her show expecting sympathy, for it is a rare occasion when she gives it. Dr. Laura gives people good, hard advice. As her slogan goes, "Morality is not for wimps."

Because her advice so often sounds harsh, people are sometimes turned away. However, it is necessary to ask, as in the case with homosexuals, does she hate them?

Some gay activists would like people to believe that views such as those of Dr. Laura are responsible for the death of Matthew Shepard — the 21-year old gay University of Wyoming student who was pistol-whipped by two men in 1998 and tied to a fence in near-freezing conditions before dying — but this is simply not the case.

Dr. Laura doesn’t hate the people who call into her show, straight or gay. She might be repulsed by their behavior, but if people are willing to listen, she gives them the advice that she believes will most benefit them and anyone else involved in the situation.

For example, if a man calls in and admits to an affair, Dr. Laura is disgusted, but she will tell him he needs to end the extramarital relationship and confess to his wife if he wants proper healing.

Still, many would claim she is being unfair to homosexuals. Society needs to ask itself, is it wrong to believe in sexual morality?

The idea that mankind’s sexual passions are to be governed by certain rules has become less popular in the last 40 years, but it has always been a struggle.

The Judeo-Christian rules state that sexual passion and interaction are to be between one man and one woman who are committed to each other for life. Why is this so? The traditional family exists as an institution because it is the foundation for a healthy civilization.

Hillary Clinton said it takes a village to raise a child, but the truth is that first and most essentially it takes a family.

Homosexuals can claim that they are capable of raising children, but is inarguably not the same. Children have certain emotional needs that are met by a mother and others that are met by a father.

Intentionally denying a child one or the other, as in the case of adoption by a homosexual couple, is not an action that should be supported by society.

The question that arises next, however, is whether homosexuality is acceptable if it does not include attempts to raise children.

Well, no one can realistically stop two people from engaging in homosexual behavior if that is their mutual desire, but homosexuality absolutely does not have to be promoted by society as acceptable.

It is OK for Dr. Laura or anyone else to believe that homosexuality is wrong and to express these views, just like it is OK to believe premarital or extramarital sex is wrong.

The public schools especially have no right to promote homosexual behavior as normal.

Now, just because homosexual behavior is wrong does not mean people who have homosexual feelings are evil, and they absolutely do not deserve persecution.

However, like all people, they must learn to control their sexuality.

Obviously, they are not the only ones who struggle with this issue. Many people have to overcome sexual desires that they know are not healthy. Sometimes therapy or counseling is needed.

America should be thankful for people like Dr. Laura who stand up for sexual morality. If you need convincing, take a look at Africa, where the AIDS virus is running rampant. Too many Africans couldn’t control their sexuality, and look what happened.

It’s too bad they don’t have a Dr. Laura of their own.

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