I'm increasingly more discouraged each and every time I go to the polls. It's become a matter of "which candidate will harm me the least" instead of "who best represents my ideals". I can see why people stop voting.

The system is such now that people that would probably do a very good job of saying what's on most people's minds, have too many obstacles to clear. Meanwhile, assholes like Foley are not only elected...but apparently allowed to run rampent despite having been discovered by others that consciously decided to cover up a potential "stain" on the party name instead of running the risk of being applauded for taking the moral high ground and shining the spotlight on this prick.

I'm sick of nobody doing what's right.

__________________
Though I am different from you,
We were born involved in one another.

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.

Complete surrender should not just come at moments in which one faces overwhelming odds, but in the calm when it seems one is personally in complete control of one's life.

Regardless of Foley's political affiliation, what I believe Lil is trying to say is that those who are also of Foley's political affiliation were aware of his issues and choose to either ignore, coverup by warning pages of his potential interests, or do nothing about what he was/is doing for the main reason that the discovery of his actions would not only bring him down, but those affiliated with the same party he is. Those who kept quiet only kept quiet because they wanted to protect their image of being the majority or in 'power' politically. They weren't worried about what he did/does to children!

I agree with Lil on this - if they knew (and articles state that some knew as far back as five years ago), they should have turned him in. Instead they ignored it! That makes them just as guilty as the predator in my book.

__________________
A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.

Gentlefolk,

I must admit that I have a more difficult time getting worked up about this than some do. Scandalous behavior has been a repeating feature among the powerful since the time of the Roman emperors – and was probably old before that. There is even a couple of guided Washington DC tours of the better good old American scandals.

Why expect these people to be any different than those they represent? Just uncover the behavior, put ‘em on trial, convict and imprison them – just as would happen to those they represent.

Lilith had the right idea: Throw the bums out! I do like the notion that the good Mr. Foley may be prosecuted under legislation he was instrumental in forging.

__________________
Eudaimonia

"Why expect these people to be any different than those they represent?"

They represent themselves to be pinnacles of the community.

"Just uncover the behavior, put ‘em on trial, convict and imprison them "

Easily said until tried. These people call for a burdon of proof way over the common man in order to defend these people from unfounded politically motivated actions.

__________________
Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

Bingo!^^^^^ Especially prudent when some judges are appointed by politicians.

If I can't buy beer in public because it threatens my reputation in the community, I'll be damned if someone representing the entire fucking district they are from in Florida should not be held to the same level.

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas

Scandalous behavior that involves taking advantage and harming children is very easy for me to get worked up about.

__________________
A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.

We have a bizarre custom here in Oz that says that if it's legal, anyone who doesn't like it can either work to change the law or lump it.

You can have freedom without anarchy or oppressive double standards.

__________________
Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

Gentlefolk,

Far be it for me to say what should or should not get your knickers in a twist! If you prefer getting upset at humans behaving as humans have done throughout history, as they obviously do now, and will continue to behave (barring some unexpected ethical mutation) until the sun goes into the scheduled Red Giant phase, by all means, do your thing.

I do think that, as you seem to expect behavior from humans which cannot - in any way, shape, or form - be predicted from the culture which created them, you will be repeatedly disappointed. Why set your expectations so high? They will only be dashed repeatedly. What possible good does it do to believe for the N+1 time that this one or that one is above all that, particularly as there are sooooooooooooooo many examples – scattered throughout time and all across the planet - to suggest that the probability of it being true is so low?

Accept that these people are as we are – with all the failings and foibles we have – for they are of us. For those who want to know why these people are as venal, base and low – in addition (if we are to be honest) to being as ethical, principled and inspiring – we need look for examples no farther away than our friends and neighbors. For the brave – hold up a mirror.

__________________
Eudaimonia

I am repeatedly disappointed jseal. I am disappointed every time I read about adults harming innocent children. However, because I am disappointed, in my own little corner of the world - I can be there for a child - whether I am able to prevent something hideous from happening to them, or by being there for them after something hideous happens. Because if I can prevent something from happening, that is one less child I will read about in the papers. If I can be there for that child that has gone through something that makes me shudder and become dissapointed, help that child get through it and not become another carbon copy of his/her abuser, then my dissapointment in our culture will never be a wasted emotion because I should expect these things to happen and to continue to happen.

I will never accept that THESE people are as I am - failings and foibles in all. because I am not as they are.

__________________
A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults.

Expect nothing better and never be disappointed. Great plan.

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas

I think the horror is that abuse becomes an imprint. Chey, I admire you for your commitment to children. You work everyday to make a difference. ((hugs))

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a damn fool about it." attributed to W. C. Fields

__________________
Eudaimonia

Cheyanne,

As am I madam. As is anyone who hopes for a future better than the past. As is anyone who has sufficient empathy to feel offended when those who should know better – and DO know better – default on their promises.

Rage will not solve today’s failures, nor make good the failings of the past.



Denial will not put them beyond the tribe which bore them. We raised them, taught them, elected them, and will elect the ever-so-same humans which will follow them into the offices they leave behind.

Good with a phrase but hardly someone I'd seek for advice.

__________________

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.~ Betty Grable

If I wanted your opinion, I'd remove the duct tape and ask you for it.~ Me
<~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
One man's dream is another man's nightmare~~~~> §¤ Lilith ¤§
~>My Scribbles<~
==>Gone Shopping<== ~Just a Quickie~ *~A Celebration Vacation~* ~Surprises~ Sleeping With the Window Open
What Did You Do Today? Self Defense Class ~Short Sweet Snippets~ § Summer Spin § Story Challenge Submission Pajamas

Lilith,

He matched his vision with reality. He was successful.

__________________
Eudaimonia