Chris Stigall Column: Forget About the Pences. How Are Things At Your House?
A fifteen-year-old interview of Mike Pence resurfaced and made big news this week. Was it something to do with a past statement or policy contradicting one he now holds? Perhaps a damning photo? Some kind of criminal activity uncovered? Nope. It's worse.
He's a loyal husband who loves his wife.
The Washington Post profiled Second Lady Karen Pence, delving into the inner workings of her marriage to the Vice President. Included in the column was a 2002 interview of then Indiana Congressman Mike Pence explaining two longstanding practices within his marriage.
He never dines alone with women who aren't his wife. Additionally, if there's alcohol present in mixed company, he's never without his wife.
The entire profile of Mrs. Pence was lovely. She is prayerful, generous with her time and concern for individuals, grounded, and the obvious strength behind her husband and family. I thought so much of the profile I shared it on my radio show - for two reasons.
First, to recognize and commend a marriage most people could admire. Second, to issue a prediction. The left would come after the Pences BECAUSE their marriage is one the public could admire.
I'd like to tell you I exaggerated. If you're normal, you're thinking, "How could anyone find something wrong with this? He's devoted to his wife. So what?" But partisan liberals aren't normal people. In fact, they're hell-bent to alter or destroy most traditions and customs. Marriage has always been one of their favorite targets.
How many years have we lived through the liberal lecture on marriage? "Stay out of my bedroom! Love is love! Who are you to determine how anyone leads their private lives?" Of course, those are sermons in defense of every kind of lifestyle BUT heterosexual, monogamous, Christian marriages.
The Pences – evangelical Midwesterners with a commitment and devotion to one another, steeped in spiritual practices and values – are the picture of the kind of thing liberals literally despise. It's a cultural throwback, like something out of a 1950s sitcom and they've spent decades attempting to destroy such notions.
Women aren't to be content with simply being the strength behind their man, say liberal women. They demand their sisters have a louder voice, bigger paycheck, and virtually emasculate their men in every way to earn sisterly respect. A mother and wife in the home, who privately leads her family with a quiet, spiritual dignity looks to be nothing more than a doormat to the feminist.
But Karen Pence wasn't their primary target this time. Oddly, it was Mike Pence who drew even more fire from feminists. In their convoluted heads, Pence's unwillingness to dine or drink with women when his wife's not around is – get ready for this – sexist.
Editor-in-chief of the far left website Mother Jones, Clara Jeffery tweeted "If Pence won't eat dinner alone with any woman but his wife, that means he won't hire women in key spots." NBC News producer Carol Eggers dragged the Pences daughters into her lunacy. "Pence reportedly won't have dinner alone with a woman who is not his wife. Hope his daughters find better bosses."
The disingenuousness of these statements runs deep. Feminists have framed professional men as though they're all Dabney Coleman in "9 to 5" for decades. Men are afraid to so much as compliment a woman at work today because of it. Now feminists tell us equality in the office means men must dine and drink alone with their female colleagues?
Sure. I'll call my wife and let her know I'm being a true equal rights hero by having dinner alone with a woman from the office tonight. I'm sure she'll appreciate my stand for the sisterhood.
Nevertheless, the Vice President's desire to respect his wife and protect himself and other women from misinterpreted or compromised situations is hardly on par with the chauvinism of a Mad Men episode.
I'll be the first to admit I'm far from a model husband. I've made avoidable mistakes I could have dodged had I been as cautious and thoughtful as Mike Pence. I suspect most married folks have made mistakes on some level. That doesn't make us bad people. That makes us human and works in progress.
The misunderstanding about decent, moral, conservative people is they're not attempting to shame you for not living to "their" standard. They've likely made mistakes, too. But that doesn't mean they abandon that higher standard for their lives. They keep at it. Those who would tear them down are simply attempting to lower the bar rather than raise it for themselves.
The Pence marriage is simply a nice, moral, traditional standard to which most happily married people strive. Anyone in a marriage who can't acknowledge that probably needs marriage counseling. Anyone single who can't acknowledge that probably shouldn't get married.
