March 13, 2008

• Absolute power

  I just felt I had to write a little bit in here; it has been a few weeks or so, and I try to stay reasonably up to date.

  We've all heard the quote that "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." I first came across it in sixth grade history class, while learning the basics of government and the inherent problems with certain people having positions of power over others. My fascination with government has perhaps only been surpassed from that point by my fascination with the criminally extreme; the serial killers, mass murderers, and inhumane life-takers that seem to plague the news each day. However, this has nothing to do with such morose subjects (although perhaps some would disagree). I wanted to ask a simple question today. What makes the powerful believe that we are all stupid?

  My inspiration comes from the recent development in the Eliot Spitzer scandal. Recent new reports have revealed that not only did he solicit a high end prostitute in secret, he used her for various services a grand total of eight times. After successfully shaming his office, publicly humiliating his wife and his family, and disgracing an entire political system, he has thankfully resigned, effective this coming Monday. So obviously, the question is asked... why? Why would someone who seemed to have it all, risk it all on something so incredibly dangerous and frivolous. Well, there's an obvious answer or two. Maybe he just did it for the sex. Maybe he just felt like he wanted something more; something with a little bit of risk involved. I don't know, and it isn't really my place to speculate. His personal life is his, and I don't really need to know about it.

  But the true answer lies much deeper beneath the surface of the mindset of the human in power. The fact is, if you look at the recent history of American politicians in power, it reveals a disgusting and vile trend among our nation's leaders. We are the United States of America; we are supposed to represent the picture perfect example of a clean and effective democracy. Instead, we project the image to the world that it doesn't really matter who you sleep with or who you have oral sex with, as long as you have the money to get away with it. Let's look at a few simple examples from both political parties (and some who aren't in politics). Idaho Senator Larry Craig, who seems to find himself on the receiving end of over 50% of Jay Leno's jokes every night, is a perfect example. The man was caught soliciting an undercover male police officer for sex in an airport bathroom. The bathroom had been staked out by police officers, because they were aware that solicitation for sex was a common practice in that particular bathroom. And yet we are supposed to believe that the entire incident was a misunderstanding because Larry Craig has "a wide stance?" Everyone with a brain and a clear head knows that everything he said was completely bogus. It was ridiculous, to say the least. Yet, somehow, he's still in Congress. If you or I were convicted of soliciting sex in an airport bathroom, we'd either be in jail right now or we would be unemployed, because no one will hire someone convicted of a sex crime. I would be asking if you wanted fries with that. Yet, because Sen. Craig sees himself as above the law and above the rules, he is choosing to circumvent the consequences of his actions.

  Example two: Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. He testified repeatedly under oath that he was not having any sort of extra-maritial affair with his chief of staff, Christene Beatty. He was brought to court by two former Detroit police officers who claimed they were fired for investigating his affair. He testified repeatedly that no such affair existed. However, text message transcripts between he and Beatty were leaked to the press that contained such messages as "I've been dreaming of having you to myself for 3 days... relaxing, laughing, talking, sleeping, and making love." In another one he admits that he is "madly in love with her" to which she responds and agrees, and in yet another he jokes about how his bodyguards were right outside the door and "must have heard everything." At the very least, these represent the virtual presence of an affair of the mind; the most likely truth is that they are physical evidence of a steamy love affair between two public officials, each with spouses and children. Yet the man remains the mayor of Detroit to this day. He has basically asked the public to look past these messages because they are five years old, and his only explanation for his behavior is that those messages "represent a very embarrassing time in his life." I think we all figured that out, Mr. Kilpatrick, thank you for your insight.

  Go back a few years to Bill Clinton. He is the President of the United States; the leader of the free world, the most powerful man in the universe. He has thousands of reporters following him on a daily basis and his every public and private motion is intensely scrutinized. Not only that, he has a prior history of marital insubordination, and is known as someone who has not remained faithful to his wife. Yet, he believes that he can have an extramarital affair in the White House and not get caught. Worse even then that, he believes that when the truth comes out and the American public begins to see the true extent of his moral corruption, he can lie about it on national television, and get away with the entire thing. As much as I feel Bill Clinton was a decent president in terms of policy, he really should have resigned right then and there. For the President of the United States to have oral sex in the Oval Office with someone other then his wife during his tenure as President is absolutely appalling and disgusting, and it shows an incredible disregard for morality and consequences.

  Look outside of politics to Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds; everyone knows they took steroids, and yet they continue to lie about it under oath and pretend that the entire world is part of a massive global conspiracy to ruin their lives. In their mind, we are all ignorant fools. That is really what it boils down to. In the mind of the powerful, when they commit a crime or do something against the rules, and then get caught, they assume that because we aren't as rich and famous as they are, we naturally have the I.Q. of roadkill. The evidence against Roger Clemens contains basically everything aside from a written confession and a picture of him with a needle in his ass, and the evidence against Barry Bonds is even stronger. These men, along with a large amount of their slightly-less-famous co-stars expect us to believe that nature suddenly miraculously allowed them to hit 30 more home runs and 100 more R.B.I.'s simply because they pounded a little more iron in the weeks leading up to training camp. It is a mockery and a joke, but it is a perfect example of how they see us. Look at Marion Jones; some people said she shouldn't go to prison, arguing that it wouldn't accomplish anything in the grand scheme of things. They couldn't be more wrong. By sending Marion Jones to prison, the justice system sent a message to this lying pigs that they are human. What did sending her to jail do? It gave her the consequences for her actions, which she knew good and well. If I lied under oath, I'd go to jail. If you lied under oath, you'd go to jail. If Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Marion Jones or anyone else lies under oath, they deserve to go to jail.

  There are so many more examples. Mark Foley and his pages; yes, there is something seriously wrong with him, obviously, but he felt that he could sexually abuse boys and have no real consequences. He should go to jail, not rehab. Ted Haggard, a man who shares my religion and lead a congregation in preaching and teaching the morals of Christianity and Jesus Christ, solicited a male prostitute and purchased illegal drugs. He is a disgusting and immoral example of the abuse of power. Gary Hart and his "catch me if you can"  with the media; he thought they could never catch him because he had all the power. Marion Barry and his... I won't even try to list them, he's just a creep. Nixon and Watergate, or Kennedy and Monroe. Those in power should be the shining example of morality and abiding by the law of the land. Instead, they have proved to be nothing but a corrupt group of perverted old men. Governor Spitzer has taken a step in the right direction by resigning, and hopefully will issue a proper apology eventually, instead of the vague and distant statements he has made so far. Either way, he is a prefect example of the disturbing trend of infidelity and moral dilapidation that plagues our government and wealthy, and I hope we can start to make them realize the consequences.

  As Good Charlotte once said, "And did you know if you were caught smoking crack
  and McDonald's wouldn't even want to take you back,
  you could always just run for mayor of D.C."

  • 1:02 AM
  • 1 Comment