"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars. But in ourselves..." - Act I, Scene II of William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
Some pundits are saying the breaking story regarding US Representative Mark Foley and his troubling views on what is appropriate behavior between adults and children was somehow orchestrated by certain unnamed "others" for political gain. Although some may agree, I point out an alternative explanation that frames the situation in terms of personal responsibility. Something the Republicans love to trumpet about unless, it seems, it applies to them.
Although others may have ultimately been involved, and be clear I have no evidence that this is true, the timing of the story was under the direct control of Representative Foley and his fellow traveling Republicans.
It seems the US House Clerk's Office was warning pages about Congressman Foley five years ago. If this is true, and if the warnings were related to Foley's alleged misconduct, then at least some in the House leadership knew of his deeds. If so, then the leadership could have controlled the story by forcing the issue with Foley. Instead, it appears the Republicans tried to cover up his reprehensible deeds.
In addition, Congressman Foley knew what he was doing was morally, ethically, and perhaps legally wrong and could have stopped at any time. He could have controlled the story himself by taking the initiative and disclosing his problems and what he planned to do to correct them. Instead, he too tried to cover up the story. Instead, he has tried to shift blame away from himself to (choose one): alcoholism, prior abuse, Democrats, and/or gays/lesbians.
As I said before about my own Democratic Party: in order to regain the public trust, the Party must reform itself. The Party must provide internal discipline. The Party must take responsibility for policing itself and showing to the people that it has its house in order.
Likewise, I think it disingenuous to say that the timing of this sad story is somehow blamable on others. It appears the Republican leadership and Representative Foley himself had ample opportunity to come clean at the time of their choosing years before now. Instead, they instituted a cover up. It was this decision that may have created the opportunity for others to take control (if that is what indeed happened).
But whichever the case, to try to blame others for Representative Foley's own actions appears to be a political act intended to spin the story, rather than to tell the truth. YMMV. Insert disclaimer here.
Aloha!
