One night not too long ago, my 16 year old daughter arrived home from a party just over two hours past her curfew.  When she came in, she had already turned on the waterworks, knowing that she was in serious trouble.  Her tearful apology was rather less than moving, however, when she admitted that her only excuse was that she just hadn’t felt like coming home when her curfew rolled around.

Two hours late equals two weeks grounding around here, and there is no question in my mind that she is sorry for her lapse in judgment, especially since this cancels all her holiday party plans.  I even doubt that she will repeat her mistake any time in the near future; however, I have raised her to understand that actions carry consequences, and she is going to have to suffer those consequences, which include removal of her privileges and additional punitive measures such as extra chores.  She might be only 16, but she has to learn that when her actions are irresponsible and insensitive (in this case, to her step-father’s and my feelings of anxiety over her safety and whereabouts for two hours), she’s gotten herself in lots of trouble.

It’s not a big surprise, nor is it hard to understand, when teenagers make stupid mistakes due to errors in judgment and/or selfish, childish attitudes.  It’s much harder to accept and forgive when such gaffes are made by ostensibly mature, responsible adults… especially when they are, oh, say, Senate Majority leaders.

Senator Trent Lott, in adolescent disregard of the sensibilities of African-Americans AND every other person in this country who is concerned with the safeguarding of equality, civil rights, and tolerance, declared his real feelings about these issues by asserting not only that he had supported Strom Thurmond’s campaign for president on what was primarily a segregationalist ballot, but also that he believes that things in this country would be better off today, had Thurmond been successful in that campaign.  Granted, he was at a party, a “lighthearted affair,” and he was probably just having fun with fellow conservatives, some of whom probably even agreed with him.  Unfortunately, he made the same mistake that my daughter did, and “just didn’t feel like” making curfew; in this case, refraining from making comments that were offensive to a rather large segment of the population.  It’s bad enough to even have such racist, intolerant views as a private citizen.  It’s worse when such views are those of a high-ranking government official whose position puts him in the driving seat for legislation that will affect the rights and quality of life available to the very people that he insulted so blatantly.  But it’s unforgivable for him to make those views public, and expect not only to be exonerated for them, but to be allowed to continue in his position as House Majority Leader in order to “make up for” his own insults.  He actually had the audacity to go onto BET and try to convince African-Americans that he is going to “move an agenda that would have things that would be helpful to African-Americans and minorities of all kinds.”  Is it just me, or is this the ultimate slap-and-tickle?

 I can’t speak for the African-American population, of course.  To do so would be presumptuous.  But from the perspective of someone who is in another minority, I would be reluctant – no – violently opposed to entrusting such an agenda to a man whose priorities have been clearly stated as racist, or at least segregationalist.  Further, his idea of some sort of  “task force of reconciliation,” based on his assertion that what our problem is, racially speaking, a failure in communication, is rather negated by the fact that he was communicating just fine; he said rather bluntly that he would vote the same way again, should Thurmond’s platform be recreated in today’s ailing society.

I realize as well as anyone that we can all make mistakes; unfortunately, the one Senator Lott made was like the one my daughter made.  It was thoughtless, it hurt people, and it revealed his true priorities.  And like the curfew violation, it is deserving of consequences.  It’s probably a no-brainer that his position will not be retained; however, the very thought that he doesn’t step down, right now, on his own and without being strongly advised to do so, shows further that his real agenda is his own political career.  You don’t ride the coattails of the people you’ve just attacked.  It’s not only a loser’s bet; it’s further exploitation of those people.  If he were smart, the Senator would resign quietly and quickly, as did Cardinal Law, before he is ousted forcibly.

Then again, he should be grounded.  And none of my teenagers, at least, have ever grounded themselves.  The grown-ups are going to have to do it for him, as well.