Originally Posted by sopsych

Adultery sends shock waves outside the family unit, regardless of what the common opinion is. Especially if it's from enough public figures that it becomes normative ("Everybody's doing it, so why can't we?") and undermines relationships. Artists as role models, you know. (That's my main gripe with Madonna, not adultery per se, but oversexualization and self-worship.)

Yes, racism can easily cast a wide net. However, private racism (Steve Perry supposedly) sometimes hurts no one, which almost never can be said about adultery. And racism is no less human than adultery.