Common sense not only has been thrown out the proverbial window in Maine, it has disappeared.
A group home for mentally retarded adults in Lewiston is about to be shut down by the state. Why? Is it not providing enough care? Is there not sufficient food? Is the facility too rundown? All of those would be legitimate reasons for ending the Jaricot Foster Home's existence.No, none of the above has led to such a dire circumstance. The reason it's being put out of business is because the person who runs it, Monique Dostie, doesn't allow her charges to engage in pornography or sexual activity.
That's bad?
According to Maine government spokesmen, forbidding these practices robs the mentally ill folks of their freedom. The all-knowing state says people with mental retardation and autism in group homes have a right to participate in activities that include pornography, consensual sex and other sex acts that I choose not to mention in this column. Based on that example of mental capacity, the ones who need to be institutionalized are the bureaucrats.
And we wonder why people are so turned off by government.
This edict is not the result of complaints by those in the home or from those who have arranged for them to be there. As the parent of a 24-year-old mentally retarded daughter noted, many placed in group homes have the mental maturation of a 3- to 5-year-old. "We would recognize that a 3- to 5-year-old is not capable of sex. We would call it pedophilia."
She's right and the state is wrong for trying to turn the issue into one of personal freedom.
Under "normal" circumstances pornography and casual sex is fraught with negative consequences. But at least those engaging in it can be held accountable for their actions.
The reason mentally retarded people are placed in group homes is because they need help. Someone who's 30 but functions as a 5-year-old mentally is not accountable for his or her actions. That's why they require adult supervision. They're like little children. And Maine wants to force all group homes to permit these precious yet mentally injured souls to be introduced to pornography and casual sex?
Just how is that supposed to take place -- is the state going to come in with a computer and bookmark pornography sites on the Internet so that the people in Dostie's care can become acquainted with them? Or is it going to supply the home with some X-rated videos?
The state counters by claiming some in group homes are fairly high functioning and shouldn't be deprived of their rights. Obviously, they're not at a high enough level to be on their own. And to not give parents or guardians the option to place the mentally handicapped in a sex-free environment dismisses their rights.
Those in Dostie's home are not interested in pornography or sex. A typical example is a 29-year-old woman named Marie who likes to color, watch cartoons and play with animals. It's a simple existence, yet she's content. Why mess with that? The developmentally disabled have a hard enough time dealing with the decisions of daily living let alone the complexities caused by sexual relationships.
Maine government officials may not be aware of this, but casual sex has been known to lead to pregnancy. Would abortion be the next step in this freedom/learning experience?
The process of putting a mentally retarded person in a group home or another facility is not easy. It's very traumatic for both the child and the parents or guardians.
Parents have to have the assurance that their children are going to be cared for properly wherever they go. That helps ease the guilt trips they put themselves through. Knowing that those around their children may be engaging in pornography or various sex practices isn't exactly comforting.
Maybe Maine bureaucrats should let the mentally handicapped also play in the street so that they could experience what it feels like to get hit by a truck.
Deseret News editorial writer John Robinson can be reached by e-mail at jrob@desnews.com.