Don't make excuses for Schaefer being Schaefer

• Article
• Comments ()
• Click-2-Listen
• Videos

By

William Donald Schaefer "was just being Schaefer"? That's like saying "boys will be boys" to excuse, marginalize and absolve all little boys, grown men and old coots of taking personal responsibility for their illegal, immature, immoral or ignorant behavior.

The problem with summarily letting the male sex off the hook using that tired "boys will be boys" or "Schaefer just being Schaefer" excuse is that some women and girls usually end up getting hurt by those guys' unacceptable, stupid statements or shameful actions.

There are some real men, such as those working for Men Can Stop Rape, who know better than to assume that respectful and mature men and boys can't do any better than act like Beavis and Butthead.

It is not acceptable for men or boys to stand on the street corner shouting lewd comments to girls and women. It is not acceptable for men and boys to take out their frustrations or shortcomings by beating up their partners. And it certainly is not acceptable for a public official, in charge of millions of public state dollars, to make ignorant and offensive statements that have an impact on everyone he is elected to represent -- even those for whom he publicly exhibits discriminating distaste.

A bigot is a bigot; there is no dressing that up or making excuses for it. William Donald Schaefer's time, we hope, is up.

Mr. Schaefer is absolutely correct when he argues that he has the right to exercise his "free speech" -- but only as a private citizen.

He should remember that his troublesome tirades lead some to question whether his private opinions affect his public policy decisions. He is not just some old man frothing at the mouth. He is the state's comptroller, able to direct or divert public dollars from public programs. He is in control of money for health care priorities such as treating or reducing the number of HIV/AIDS patients.

Mr. Schaefer's statements were so outrageous and outdated that they do not bear repeating. He is stuck in an era when not only those who had the disease were shunned like lepers, like the immigrants he wants banished from the Free State.

That Mr. Schaefer said patients with HIV/AIDS are "bad people," that they bring it on themselves, that they are a danger to society, and that they should be listed on a registry demonstrates that he is also ignorant of the law.

Federal privacy laws (which still supersede state laws) prohibit the release of an individual's medical records. If we are going to start listing the names of HIV/AIDS patients, where will the disclosure of other infectious diseases or medical conditions end? A registry would only discourage testing and give people a false sense of security, said A. Cornelius Baker, executive director of the Whitman-Walker Clinic in the District.