Government Shouldn't Promote "Values"

This is an interesting question posed by the Gallup Poll -- Should the government promote traditional values or not favor any particular set of values? Since they began asking this question in 1993, the answer given by the majority of Americans was that the government should be promoting traditional values. That is no longer the case. In the latest poll, taken between September 6th and 9th, a majority (52% to 44%) says the government should not be promoting any particular set of values.

I agree with this. The government has many valid and necessary functions, but promoting or teaching values should not be one of them. We generally think of "values" as being a good thing -- something that teaches people to be better human beings. many people also believe "values" are unchanging, and the same ideas that were considered good in the past will always be good. Neither of those are true.

Values are not always positive, and they can change with the passage of time. That is a primary reason why they should not be promoted by government. And that is especially true of the so-called "traditional values" being touted by many on the right-wing and among fundamentalists. Too often, these "values" include ideas that are racist, misogynistic, or homophobic (all of which run counter to our Constitutional guarantee of equality).

It was once accepted by many in this country that slavery was OK because minorities were somehow inferior to whites, that women should be subservient to men and were undeserving of equality, and that homosexuality was a crime and should be punished. Fortunately, those views have changed and most Americans no longer view racism, misogyny, and homophobia as acceptable values -- and we certainly don't want the government promoting those "traditional values" (as they once did).

Here is how the poll broke down by political demographic:

SHOULD THEY GOVERNMENT PROMOTE TRADITIONAL VALUES?

Democrats
promote...............29%
don't promote...............67%

Republicans
promote...............65%
don't promote...............32%

Independents
promote...............41%
don't promote...............54%