Friday, August 08, 2008

The Infidelity of Senator John Edwards

Paris Hilton, move on over, honey. You've been demoted. The media gots themselves much bigger fish to fry and fry and fry until it'll become so crisp it will be unrecognizable in due time. And all the significant others too...oh, boy! Sounds like something hot, huh?

It is not my intention to offer a defense here. Nor is it to dismiss the seriousness of a public lie...God knows that's all I've railed about here, deviating from my original intention about the kind of writing I stated as the premise of this blog. Priorities do have a way of changing one's perspective, mine at least, and, well, if you don't want to read this blog or that blog or any blog, you have a mouse with a click function presumably.

If you've followed my rants, you'll know that I was an avid John Edwards' supporter.

Having said that, acknowledging what may be a pre-existing bias, understand that today's skewering of his admitted extra-marital affair (while denying any paternity that may have resulted from that affair) is not something that exactly cheers me up. It IS interesting to note that none of it is news to those of us who obtain our information from valid sources that do NOT include mainstream media...let me repeat...do NOT include mainstream media and curious, at least to me, why it is that they haven't gobbled this delicious item up a ways back then. Oh, never mind...we had Paris...and missing white girls as an appetizer. Now we have a main course, full of all the elements that titillate folks like Wolf Blitzer, Jack Cafferty and the racist sexists over at MSNBC. (For god sakes, camera folk, do NOT shoot them below the waist!) Cuz this is a "big" one.

For those of you out there wanting to cast judgment on John Edwards, here's a few things for your consideration before you do, and remember, this is not a defense.

John Edwards and his wife, the extraordinary Lady Elizabeth, suffered the most unspeakable tragedy known to humankind. That tragedy is the loss of a child. Ever lose one yourself? For if not, and it is something I would wish on NO ONE, you better be pretty sure you've got nothing in your own closet before you point fingers and offer irrelevant commentary on the behaviors of one who has. You, yes, you, are in NO position to determine what goes on in the mind and emotions of parents who suffer such a loss. There's a reason people say to one who's lost a child, "I can't imagine it." That's because is IS unimaginable. You either survive it; or, you don't. And if you survive, everything about your view of life, meaning, love and spirituality is totally redefined - and not always in a healthy way though I maintain the legitimacy of the word "survivor" remains. So knock it off - it's a place you have no business entering when it comes to speculating the whys of how one in such a powerful, political position might indulge in something that if you're honest, most of us have thought of doing, hell, once or twice, right? I can see your nose from here so be careful in your answer.

Add to that, a diagnosis of cancer given to your lifemate. As if that isn't bad enough, how about the PTSD gift you received after watching your flesh and blood go into the ground or elsewhere? Oh ho, how the ante's upped now, huh? I say again, no defense here...I'm speaking of Understanding. Can you even begin to? Let me answer for you...unless you've been in these shoes, the answer is a resounding "NO."

Personally, I don't give a good damn about how many Republicans or Democrats have gotten themselves into this kind of cauldron bubbling with all those desires and urges that make us human. I really don't. Is power an issue? Of course. Celebrity? Of course it is. Politics, the kind practiced in DC, is not the lofty science respected by educational institutions of higher education..it's a goddam bloody contact sport, devoid of values, integrity and ethics. Don't believe me? Then please..stop reading right here. Anything goes, anything's ok, and everything is OK so long as the self and its agenda survives. Put aside the personal life and history of John Edwards and that alone explains it enough for us to be able to "move-on" as a people. And I'm not even going to touch the Clinton affair.

I guess there's a reason why the American people seem to forgive and forget when it comes to politicians who violate "family values." Wanna take a guess as to why? I'll leave that to you. Speaking for myself, I had the opportunity to meet Senator Edwards 1:1 as well as speak to him before he gave his speech moments before midnight this year while campaigning in Ohio. I CAN speak from an informed opinion in terms of how he penetrated my psyche and for whatever it's worth, I can tell you that he IS a good man...as good a man or woman that you or I consider ourselves to be (assuming that is true) but he's a man with many ghosts, unspeakable hurts, who has tried to find a way to survive. For the most part, he has done so via a life of public service. Perfectly? No. Are you?

So, while we pop those tops and settle in for a weekend of watching the world's new super power claim its place among those who have exploited human rights in the name of Freedom, let's cut John Edwards a little slack here. One way to do that is to simply switch channels. Don't feed this pig media and let its trough run dry. There are already a zillion reasons to do just that. Let's hope the Friday lost news cycle works in his favor as it does for all politicians finding themselves with their zippers down as well as the media whose zippers you'll never see.

To Elizabeth and your children, my heart goes out to you. God only knows the suffering you've learned to embrace which I hope serves you well during this difficult time.

To John - I understand you.

May the strength you know exists in you arise again and guide you through what, in the big scheme of things, turns out to be one more stone on the rocky road of life that you will one day look back upon and recognize Growth.




No comments: