Small Things

I was trying a case today in a public building whose principle function is to dispense government funds to those who fall into the government's need net. However, the state and federal dispensing of other peoples' cash is not the topic of my rantings today. Rather my heartburn is over two posters taped to the walls at various locations in this government office. They were small posters. One was just 8 1/2 by 11. However, the posters' small size belied their capability to get me hugely ticked off.

Exhibit 1

Posted on a window of a family planning office was a picture of a couple dressed in 50s style clothing chastely walking hand in hand. The poster simply said, "Times have Changed."

They most certainly have. This family planning adverstisment was clearly mocking traditional morality. We can each have our opinions on that issue. However, the point of my rant is that here I was standing in a State-run money and service dispensary in front of a family planning office sporting a state sponsored advertisement encouraging and approving the out of wedlock sex that produces the pregnant consequences that form the reason for that office's existence. State money encouraging dysfunctional behavior. Make sense?

Exhibit 2

Sitting in the small conference room, where we were having our proceeding, there was a small poster on the wall. I didn't notice it at first. However as my attention to the case drifted, I looked at the poster and noted it depicted two daddies with two children. The poster also depicted two women walking arm in arm. The tag line on the poster was something like "We are Diverse But We Are Also the Same." The poster then noted it had been sponsored by a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transvestite organization. My purpose is not to get into an argument regarding gay/ straight lifestyle pros and cons. I have friends and business acquaintances of all persuasions and I wish to give no offense. However, as with Exhibit 1, here was a poster espousing family structures that are admittedly non-traditional (at least so far in most cultures) being posted in a public place thereby implying state sanction of the non-traditional family structures.

So what's my point to this other than my usual rantings and ravings about dysfunctional personal conduct and the dissolution of traditional family structures? Just this. Some branches of the Government are vested in encouraging dysfunctional behavior to ensure that they have a never ending client base for their services. A lot of government employees' livelihoods depend on dysfunctional personal behaviors and non-traditional family structures.

I suspect the only thing that would have put the icing on the cake for me, today, would have been to find a state lottery sales office in the same building next to the office providing services to problem gamblers.

I guess just like any other business, the government has the right to advertise and entice its citizens to engage in conduct that ultimately leads to dependency on government services. The only grim satisfaction in all of this is that some our state agencies are effectively using capitalist marketing techniques to sell their services.

Now, if only we could get them to turn a profit.