Sex, Lies and Video Tape

That was the name of a movie I saw some years ago that really wasn’t all that great. I have since decided it would be an apt title for the current political scene. Each component has played a major role in recent events.

We have witnessed a string of three governors of New York (2) and New Jersey (1) in the recent past who have publicly admitted various sexual dalliances. So far, two have tendered resignations. I realize that sex and power are connected but this is ridiculous. It must be the water in the governor’s mansion which provokes this abhorrent behavior. I fully understand the characteristics of addictions, having traveled that road, but I do not understand how anyone in such high office could be so arrogant as to believe they had no risk of consequences. (Ed. note: Ah, but where were the consequences in the case of a certain presidential candidate's hubby?) If they were drunks or druggies they would immediately be hustled off to rehab. Where is the facility for the sexual addict? I guess I missed that one.( Ed. note: Ask a certain presidential candidate's hubby.)

Unfortunately it’s not just a problem for the married couples involved. The people are involved as well since each is also accompanied by charges of or insinuations of playing fast and loose with either state monies or campaign funds. Either way, it’s not their money, it’s yours. Attorneys general take a dim view of that sort of thing, especially when one of the accused was formerly one of their own. Each, with a stoic spouse by his side, has made an embarrassing apology and is preparing to fade off the public scene. (Ed. note: But that wasn't the case with a certain presidential candidate's hubby, was it?) If they are convicted of felonies on related charges they could also lose their law licenses. By virtue of their public confessions at least they are not threatened by perjury charges.

The “lies” part of the title is so common as to almost become the norm for some of the presidential candidates. Probably the most egregious was the allegation of “ducking sniper fire in Bosnia.” Fortunately, in my military career, sniper fire or for that matter, any fire was scarce. When it did happen, I remembered it. For most vets, this would be the rule. I could easily understand a person exposed to near continuous fire in a variety of locations for a prolonged period having some difficulty remembering certain places and the exact situation. Since this individual obviously knew in advance of the claim that it was not true; it was a lie! Now that the voting public has become aware of this, the prospect of acceptance has diminished nearly 10% against a variety of contenders.

Among those contenders is one who has made equally ridiculous assertions. They include claims of extreme poverty and disadvantage in the formative years. Another is the burden of educational expense which remains as a result of student loans. The third is the sudden expedient disassociation with a long time (20 years) mentor/pastor once claimed as an advisor. Eye witness testimony and conflicting evidence conflicts with the poverty claim. Even those poor in mathematics realize that persons with a household income in excess of a half million a year are not jeopardized by student loans of any size. As we say in the Ozarks, it just doesn’t scour. So how does the average handle puller in the voting booth ever know the difference?

This is where the video tape comes in. In the first case, abundant footage of the event is available in video archives. The much touted “fire fight” turned out to be welcoming men, women and children. In fact, one beautiful little girl braved the “withering fire” to deliver a welcoming bouquet. Archival tape is definitely no friend to a serial prevaricator. The whole scene revealed a secure situation and genuine joy on the part of the reception committee.

In the second example, video tape also provided copy after copy of the hate filled rants of the candidate’s advisor. His venom, interspersed with anti-American rhetoric and “tin-foil hat” tales of imagined conspiracy and revisionist history provide some insight into what the person feels about our beloved country. Let’s assume that the candidate only went to church or had casual contact once a month for those twenty years. How is it possible then, after 240 exposures, to avoid hearing any trace of his diatribes? It is not possible; it’s a lie!

The truth is simple. These people believe that they can say or do anything and the public will pay no attention. To a large degree, this is true. Some have become blinded by partisan prejudice which does not allow the truth to enter. I have avoided names and party affiliation to identify these folks because politicians as a group appear to share these traits. I freely admit to exercising “prejudice” but it is based on observation and the evidence of reality.

The worst of it is their failure to realize the capacity of the ordinary citizen in today’s information ripe world to do individual research and actually reach the truth. They do not seem to understand the power of “you tube”, Drudge, and two million other bloggers. Over time, I have found the bloggers to be as pure as Ivory, 99.77%. Once a reader catches a blogger in an intentional falsehood he no longer returns. Since traffic is the currency of the blogosphere, most are scrupulous followers of the truth. Yes, they have opinions but they also recognize in their milieu, that the “video tape” can come back to haunt you. I shudder to think of these politicians in positions of authority.

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon