Culture War of Nerves!
A battle is getting ready to brew in the Indiana General Assembly, but it’s not one that you will see on the floor. It is one that if fought as intense as I think it will be, there will be a lot of personal, private and potentially embarrassing information “coming out” about some Indiana lawmakers.
The fight concerns SJR-7, an amendment to the Indiana Constitution that would limit marriages to one man and one woman and prohibit the state from concerning the rights of married couples to same sex couples and other unmarried couples. I personally don’t see the need for this and in fact have never had a problem with gay marriage. However, individuals who are more culturally conservative than I am do. I respectfully disagree.
But what will be interesting to watch is if the forces of the far right go forward, they may see their personal lives put on display. Already at Advance Indiana, operated by Gary Welsh, there is a repeat of a story regarding pro-life Sen. Brandt Hershman featuring allegations by his ex-wife that he forced her to have an abortion in 1997. Hershman called the allegations “dirty politics.”
Hershman’s story is but one of a potential many. At Bilerico, a blog run by Bil Browning names, without naming, quite a bit or dirty laundry. And it is calling on readers to offer up anything else. It will be interesting to see who gets named.
After more than two years in the Statehouse, I’ve heard quite a few stories about lawmakers whose personal lives would run contrary to public statements they’ve made about morality and values. Most the rumor I have kept at just that, rumor.
But now the situation is about to escalate. And it will not be just a Republican issue either. There are Democrats with potential skeletons as well. Regardless of the outcome, this is not going to pretty, but it will be something worth watching.
