Martyr McGehee

Fresno, Calif -- There is, in the world of communication, a specific style of unhealthy conversation, aptly named "one-upping," in which the speaker embarks on an emotional telling of his tragic story and, instead of validating it (or in this case, even acknowledging it), the listener tries to trump it. This is the case with Lesbian mom, Robin McGehee, who is being raised up as a martyr for the No on 8 campaign.

Robin, whose 5-year-old son, Sebastian, was enrolled in St. Helen's Catholic School in Fresno, attended a publicized "No on 8" candlelight vigil, on Nov. 6th, following the vote that reestablished marriage as a union between one man and one woman. She is also the Central Valley program coordinator for the Gay-Straight Alliance Network and has been interviewed several times on television. And while she never walked around campus sporting a "No on 8" pin, McGehee was, nonetheless, open about her sexuality.

After her appearance on television and her "No on 8" rally attendance, she was approached by Father Salvador Gonzalez, Jr., of the Fresno diocese, and asked to resign from her volunteer post as president of the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization). Her visibility as an opponent of traditional marriage was seen to be in direct conflict with the Catholic Church's teachings that marriage is between one man and one woman.

That's it. That's the story folks. However, if you read it here, you will get an earful of sentimental background fluff, building up and lauding McGehee for her participation in school projects, her donations to fund-raisers, and her various volunteer efforts with walk-a-thons and holiday-themed parties - efforts that many mothers in this state make on a regular basis for the enhancement of their child's education. We get it, we do; she is a great mom. But this blatant immortalization effort is a transparent attempt to build up a martyr for future, inaccurate claims of victimization. Oh, and let's not forget where the story conveniently breezes over the fact that darling little Sebastian has two mommies AND two daddies:

"[McGehee and her recent bride Kathy Adams] have two children 5-year-old Sebastian and 2-year-old Jackson. Also, two fathers, William 'Aj' Kruth and Aaron Olson, are a part of the family."

Homosexuality or Polyamory? Honestly, I don't know. But it's obviously a hugely altered definition of a family. And this is what we have to look forward to with legalized same-sex marriage. Suddenly we live in an "anything goes" society. I think even those in favor of gay marriage might take issue with this. But, setting random and unsettling redefinitions of family aside, let's forge onward with McGehee the Martyr.

Contrary to popular gay belief, McGehee's story does not compare to the intolerant and bigoted targeting of Scott Eckern which lead to his resignation as artistic director for the California Musical Theater over a $1000 personal donation to the Yes on 8 campaign. Let's take a look at these two cases in a side-by-side comparison, shall we?

Scott Eckern

25 years at the California Musical Theater.

Robin McGehee

Six months as president of the PTO.

Scott Eckern

Forced to resign from his paid position, his job, his livelihood.

Robin McGehee

Asked to resign from her volunteer position.

Scott Eckern

Publicly targeted and forced to resign for the personal, legal donation he made to a cause he believed in.

Robin McGehee

Privately asked to resign from a leadership post for not only living, but championing a lifestyle that is in direct opposition to the teachings of the church she was volunteering for.

Scott Eckern

Vilified for participating in a democratic process and having an opinion.

Robin McGehee

Has not been vilified.
Has not received hate mail or slanderous accusations aimed at her.
Is still free to live her homosexual lifestyle and be involved in her child's education, just like any other parent...just not in an authoritative, leadership role. The church even asked her to keep her son in school, but she and her partner made the decision to pull him.

This is a case in point for the "six consequences" which caution that, following legalization of same-sex marriage, churches will be accused of hate speech and discrimination simply for standing behind their beliefs that homosexuality is immoral. It is already happening even with Proposition 8's success. Robin McGehee was not asked to resign for being homosexual, she was asked to resign for being a vocal opponent of Proposition 8 and a highly visible proponent of the No on 8 Campaign. The Catholic Church is well within its rights to monitor the teaching and volunteer activity and leadership of the children attending its private schools. Thus, the real victim here is the falsely vilified, unjustly slandered Catholic Church, not Ms. McGehee.

And yet....

Collateral Damage: Tolerance vs. Collateral Damage: A young casualty of Prop 8

...notice the "bleeding heart" title of the latter?

The Catholic Church is misrepresented, and yet the gay community cries foul and promptly writes a heartrending, fervor producing, purely sentimentalist story that is conspicuously lacking in thoughtful reasoning. But that is, and always has been, their platform; "It feels good, we feel good, help us to feel good and you'll feel good too. Forget thinking, it's not important. Just feel (*imagine lulling, hypnotic music and the pungent smell of incense*). What we do in our lives won't hurt you in yours." Mm hmmm. Zzzzzz.

NO! BAD! WAKE UP!

Wake up, people of America! Wake up and step away from your collective Id for a moment. Give your Super-ego the chance to sound that warning bell that's saying: "ERRR. Wrong! Wrong! Warning! Warning! Don't try to fix something that's not broken. Don't tamper with marriage!" Marriage between a man and a woman works. The traditional family unit is what society relies on to exist and survive and thrive. Evidence shows the homosexual lifestyle to be dangerous and destructive. Now is not the time to be Id-driven, allowing our feelings to govern and control us. We must give research it's day in our cranial courts. We must allow logic and self-restraint to temper passion and emotion. We must protect marriage to protect our little ones, our innocents, and to ensure the continuation of our society and government.

Image: "Female Martyr" by Jacob van Oost the Elder, oil on canvas.