Why don't I feel elated about the Mark Foley "scandal"?

[japple]

I've been reading the posts in GD and GDP and wondering why some folks are absolutely ecstatic about the Mark Foley mess. It just makes me so sad that our country has come to this. Does anyone else feel this way?

[I Have A Dream]

1. Maybe because it wasn't a victimless crime.

:hug:

[Dora]

2. Because the GOP is a many-headed monster...

You cut off one head, and the others still strike.

We can cut off the head that is Foley and cheer as though we are victorious. But we've accomplished NOTHING until we axe off the many hissing, slavering heads that remain.

Nobody is talking about Rice's lies. Nobody is talking about Rice's lies. Nobody is talking about Rice's lies. Nobody is talking about Rice's lies. Nobody is talking about Rice's lies. Nobody is talking about Rice's lies.

added on edit: I'm going to work on manifesting truth.

[I Have A Dream]

7. Good analogy, Dora!

Nothing ever seems to stick either. (So a teflon many-headed monster, I guess.)

I'm going to start visualizing this monster with its heads being cut off and things sticking to it. :)

[Proud_Lefty]

3. Many have said these sex scandals will end this madness

This is just the beginning of uncovering the hideous truths about our government. That Franklin scandal, along with so many others, were just swept under the rug and now that debris is ready to come out. The depths of evil being done by our (so-called) elected officials is definitely a hard reality many won't handle well. That's our job, is to help those who have been blinded by spin for many lifetimes.

[hippiechick]

4. It sort of brings out the worst in us, IMO ...

... please keep in mind I am painting with a broad brush in this first paragraph and am not pointing any specific fingers ....

Our side of the fence tends to scream bloody murder when the GOP starts scandal mongering and playing dirty tricks re: the private bedroom tendencies of people we like. We claim that private is private and shouldn't be a campaign issue ... but then something like this happens and we salivate all over ourselves wanting to use the information to slam dunk the GOP out of office.

There's a tad of hypocrisy at work there.

Also, it's a complex situation:
First, because Foley is apparently a semi-closeted and confused gay man who has repeatedly voted against the gay community's interests. That kind of self-denial is hard to wrap one's brain around.

Second, because he's also a ... what ? A pedophile ? A predator ? Just a dirty old man ? We don't know the full extent yet. Yet he's on committees charged with finding ways to 'protect our children' from the very stuff that he himself engages in!!

Third, because he abused his position of power, respect (however ill-deserved) and unspoken authority by apparently viewing the page system as his own 'meat market' for Goddess knows how many years. And knowing that nobody stopped him, one has to wonder how many other legislators or people in similar powerful positions (lobbyists, etc?) have done the same thing. It makes one wonder just exactly who these people think they are, and what they think we are, that they can misuse their own constituents' children without blinking an eye.

And fourth, it looks like now the page system - the pages - the young civil servants are going to suffer because Hastert et al are suggesting that the system be overhauled to 'ensure their safety'.
Well, how about punishing the criminals in this case by making sure that pervs don't get elected to positions where they can victimize neophytes just trying to start a career ? If the page system is eliminated because of this, it will be a huge disservice to this country because it will close a door for so many future civil servants.

Sigh. :(

[japple]

5. Is it possible that this scandal was leaked on purpose to deflect

the focus from the Bush administration? I admit that this was one of my first thoughts.

[bliss_eternal]

6. Yes, japple--it makes me sad too...

:hi: japple!

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I haven't posted to any of the threads about the case because I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. It's just such a mess, know what I mean?

Everything I've read about it so far--as I'm reading I just feel such sadness for the pages that were taken advantage of.

I'm usually glad to see the truth come to light, but my heart goes out to those young men. I recall what Monica Lewinsky went through in terms of media scrutiny. It can get so ugly.

[Bluestar]

8. This is NOT a private bedroom matter so there is no hypocrisy

on the part of Democrats and others who advocate privacy. It's not even a "sex" scandal as it has been identified elsewhere. It is at least sexual harassment of underage minors, at most pedophilia. Neither of these can be dismissed, now matter which party is involved.

The point is it looks like the Republicans IGNORED what was going on for years and that is an entirely different issue. They ignored and enabled verbal and physical threats to underage minors who were under their care and keeping. It should not be partisan at all. I think the reason for everyone's glee on DU is that nothing seems to stick to the Republicans because Americans are either too dumb or too disinterested to pay attention to the bigger issues--something that is "salacious" like this will get ongoing media attention and could wake up the slumbering masses as to what is really going on.

I think why everyone here is feeling so depressed is because those who visit this board have a higher level of compassion for others, and the details of this scandal are almost too much to bear. It's almost like the children involved sacrificed so that the truth could come out. Some may disagree, but I believe we all choose to fulfill a divine purpose--maybe these unfortunate boys are fulfilling theirs.

I realize this post may be controversial. I apologize if I have offended the belief system of anyone here, as that is not my intention.

Love and light to everyone here and to the victims of this scandal.
Bluestar

[I Have A Dream]

9. The biggest GOP hypocricy to me is the fact that Foley was the...

co-chair of the Missing and Exploited Children Caucus. I don't understand why more isn't being made of that particular issue. It fits right in with the GOP pattern of saying one thing and doing the absolute opposite like the Blue Skies Initiative and the Healthy Forests Initiative. This is so ironic that it would be funny if it were not for the nature of the offense.

[Pathwalker]

12. Everything - every single thing - they have done

has been 180 degrees away from the truth. EXACTLY the opposite. It's maddening! How could the american people not see that - not realize it? Arrrrgggghhhh!
Their new budget gives 20 million dollars to celebrate the "Victory" in Iraq - money taken from veteran's services! They have no shame, so we must teach it to them, tar and feather them with it -
whatever it takes.
My son likes to say "God is an I-ron - Ruler of Irony". Maybe it's "God's" hand in the irony. :shrug:

[Pathwalker]

10. Answer: The shyte is FINALLY sticking to them!

ALL of them. Why? Because there are "children" involved. Remember the thread here about the "LIVE BOY OR DEAD WOMAN? Well, it was a LIVE BOY! Everyone was okay with it when it was just theoretical, but now that it's become real - we're upset??? Huh?
Look, I have believed all along that only something that involved our children would bring down this entire cabal. Either the draft, taking AWAY our gasoline(so we couldn't take the kids to all their endless activities), or a real, honest to goodness sex scandal. Face it, we Americans coddle our children(pleading guilty!); we dote on them, tell them how special they are, shower them with everything WE wanted as children, and devote countless hours driving them everywhere so they can work very hard at playing. And these bastards touched our babies - and hid it for POLITICAL GAIN!
Their facade of morality is now laid bare for the villainous hypocrisy it is, and all they can do is anything but stand up and be honest and admit how badly they screwed up! It's Clinton's fault? - oh please! Monica was an ADULT - not a teenager who is too full of rampaging hormones to understand the consequences of acting on those impulses, but a fully grown adult is expected to KNOW BETTER. No, it's not pedophilia - it's molestation of a minor, and when our children are still minors - they belong to US - the parents.

What Mark Foley did was reprehensible, yet it may or may not have been a crime - we just don't have all the facts yet, but what the Republican leadership did was craven beyond belief, and the fact that they were willing to sacrifice our children to this predator - and continued to do so - is outraging every parent I've spoken to so far. Their "Morality" mask has been ripped away, and no self-respecting person can honestly defend them.
What we should be praying for now is that these pages will not be further victimized by a salacious, sexually perverted, scandal mongering press and that they will be spared what they did to Monica. The only people for whom I have ANY sympathy(and I have a heartful!) for in this entire matter is those boys. And their parents.
Period. As for the Republicans, I hope every single piece of putrid, fetid CRAP sticks to them until they drown it it. Better them than this Nation. Better them than our beloved Constitution. Goddess knows - they've earned it.
Tonight, for the first time in six years, I have real hope in my heart that America has finally HAD IT with these evil pretenders, and is ready to change course - back to what we are supposed to be. Perhaps now, the long night is almost over, and we will crawl to the dawn, a nation humbled, yet not truly defeated. NOW, we can hope. HOPE.

Well, I'll close now - forgive me if I sound a tad...lunatic, but it's a full moon after all, and I am her child. In fact, I may just go howl back at her tonight - in thanksgiving! And, hey - to that psychic who said it would either be a live boy or a dead woman - you were right!

Peace. (it may have a chance now!)
NB

[I Have A Dream]

11. Oh, good point about the 'LIVE BOY' comment from the prior thread.

I'd forgotten that. Someone here got it right.

[japple]

14. Pink Tiger got it right! She was the one who wrote the "Live boy

or dead girl" post...and quite a bit ahead of schedule I might add. Good going, Pink Tiger.

[SeattleGirl]

13. I'm sad about the young men who were stalked by Foley.

But if this is what it takes to de-throne the tyrants, perhaps those young men did us a favor, added to the positive side of the universe.

[japple]

15. I feel sad for the pages, too, who are at such a vulnerable time in their

lives. They probably felt both confused and turned on by Foley's explicit sexual IMs, and ashamed and guilty in turn. I mean, you don't want to offend a US Congressman. I can't imagine all the torture that these young guys were going through. And the bad thing is that this kind of thing goes on everywhere, everday, to many, many children, and in much worse situations, and the perps will never be apprehended.