Neo,
conservatives do not want to make homosexuality illegal.........
I was living in the right wing bastion of Williamson County Texas, when they nearly backed out on a huge Apple Computer facility because they were afraid that Apple was going to bring in queers from California.
12-07-93 ed1293b.txt
A COLUMN OF PERSONAL OPINION by B. R. Roeder
Apple Corporation and the Morals of Williamson County
"I just believe if you have moral convictions there's a time to exercise them or do away with the convictions."
These words were said by Commissioner Jerry Mehevec in rural Williamson County, Texas. Mehevec and fellow commissioners of the county had just voted down a tax abatement for Apple Computer Corporation.
Apple wanted to build a customer support center in the county and was looking for a tax abatement of $750,000. The center was to employ 700 people and hundreds more would have found employment in spin off services.
The issue that caused the commissioners to veto the abatement idea was the fact that Apple offers health insurance to the "domestic partners" of gay and lesbian employees. Three of the five commissioners in Williamson County felt that Apple's apparent approval of the gay/lesbian lifestyle would be seen as a powerful incentive in attracting gay/lesbians to the area.
Naturally, gay and lesbian militants were horrified that anyone would question Apple for, as one spokesperson said, "only doing what is right for their employees." Another gay spokesperson said that Apple was only responding to "the expanding definition of family." He added that Williamson County's attitude would undoubtedly have a negative effect on the county.
Undoubtedly, he's right! Again without a doubt the commissioners of Williamson County know the consequences. They just seem to think that their moral standards are more important than money and conforming to the world's expectations.
What a peculiar notion for this day and age--morals over profit and community standards over jobs.
It would be easy to say that Williamson County shouldn't be so picky. After all, it is Apple's money and if they want to pay health insurance benefits to domestic partners or their employees pets for that matter, why should anyone care? And why single out gay/lesbian sin? I'm sure the commissioners aren't that concerned about the adulterous relationships that must occur at Apple. Aren't they concerned about those type of people moving in also?
Obviously, to the discerning eye there is a difference. As far as I can tell Apple doesn't actively promote adultery. I'm sure that if they did, the commissioners would be equally opposed. There is more however, to this issue than immediately meets the eye. I suspect I know what the real motive was for voting against Apple's request for an abatement.
One of the commissioners hinted at it when he stated that Apple's endorsement could serve as an invitation to those engaging in homosexual behavior to move to the county. This commissioner is talking about something besides morals. He's talking about separation--a parting of the national ways.
Perhaps, at no other time in our nation's history since the Civil War is our country so polarized. The culture war has divided us as no other issue since the Confederacy fired on Sumter. As conservative, religious Americans continually find our values under fire, the natural reaction is to retreat into our fortresses and wait until the siege is over.
It has happened before.
After the onslaught of Darwinism in the mid to late 1800's church going Americans divided. The liberals wished to accommodate each and every scientific theory that came down the pipe by reinterpreting the Bible to be compatible with the latest fad. The conservatives or fundamentalists, as they became known as, wished to have nothing to do with any idea that took away from God's majesty by suggesting that life was an accident and we are nothing more than highly evolved, hairless apes.
The liberals succeeded in taking over the culture. They controlled the major seminaries and denominations at the time, so it was relatively easy to get their way. The conservatives withdrew from the culture and in conjunction with the American Civil War sometimes formed new denominations. For the most part the conservatives were content to let the world and the old mainline churches, have their way and reap the consequences of their infidelity to Scripture.
The revivals of D.L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and much later Billy Graham were designed to reach the individual soul rather than make major inroads against popular culture. Following World War Two, fundamentalists, who were now being called evangelicals, began to once again assert themselves as a factor in the culture.
By 1976 conservative protestants were a force to be reckoned with. Time magazine declared 1976 the "Year of the Evangelical" and the 1980 election featured three "born again" Christians--Jimmy Carter, the Democratic candidate, John Anderson, a United States Senator who ran as an independent and Ronald Reagan, who was the Republican candidate and winner of the election. 1980 probably was the high water mark of religious conservative's efforts to affect public policy and morality through the use of the electorate.
Despite the political victories and having religious conservatives in the White House, nothing of any consequence was accomplished in the way of slowing the country's slip into moral quicksand.
In 1992 candidates of the "religious left" were elected to govern this land and once again evangelicals found themselves on the outside looking in. At the same time (and it's no coincidence) religious conservatives found their values under fire like never before. While some conservative Christians joined organizations like Pat Robertson's "Christian Coalition" and attempted to fight back, others were again withdrawing to the safety within their evangelical sub-culture.
This seems to be what the people of Williamson County are saying. They're trying to shut out the onslaught of contemporary culture and political correctness. They're telling Apple Corporation that the price of prosperity is too high--too many values will be compromised for the sake of some jobs. They're telling Apple, go ahead and build the center, just don't ask us, the taxpayers of Williamson County to finance your immorality.
There is something admirable and noble in their stand. The pressure to accommodate Apple must have been great. Yet, despite the perceived economic boon for the county the residents stuck to their guns and told Apple to take a hike.
I have a divided opinion on the matter. On one hand I agree with the decision. Often, I feel that we should let the dominant culture reap what it sows. Let those that create the enormous social problems deal with them. I must admit that this view holds much attraction. Still, on the other hand I know that we as Christians have been commanded, not asked, to go and make disciples of the whole world. This would evidently mean the employees of Apple Corporation. Perhaps there is a measure of irony in this situation. Perhaps the Lord knows our natural reluctance to go and witness to those we feel are the most immoral. Perhaps, because of this reluctance He found a way to bring them next door by having a major corporation build a service center. Of course, I don't know if this may be the Lord's will at all, but it is worth considering.
I can emphasize with the people of Williamson County. I can visualize another group of Texans taking a stand for their beliefs and ultimately dying for those beliefs at the Alamo.
Their's was a no compromise, no retreat--a line in the sand kind of philosophy--that made this country great. That kind of backbone is something rare in our society. Still, I think of the words of D.L. Moody. Moody once remarked that he had felt the Lord had told him, "Moody, the world's one large sinking ship. Your job is to take a life raft and save as many as you can."
I wonder what Jesus would do?
ADDENDUM: The above article was written as the story initially broke. As of December 8th, 1993, the commissioners of Williamson County have reconsidered Apple's proposal. They decided the economic benefits to the County were too important to pass up.
All things considered, while I still admire the initial stand Williamson County took. I am not too disappointe
globaldialog.com |
