At a time when we are witnesses to revolutions, wars, and the consequences of climate change (i.e., hard news) the media has chosen to pander yet again to our baser desires and has trumped most of the important stories with tales of Anthony Weiner's junk shots. I'm not sure which is more pathetic--Weiner's lame and juvenile behavior, or our insatiable interest in it.
Martin Luther King was a womanizer. Gandhi treated his family like crap. Yet despite their very real personal flaws and imperfections, these men were able to achieve great things. Does the fact that Rep. Weiner used his Twitter account to send pics of his pecs to female admirers show poor judgment? You bet, and I feel sorry for his pregnant wife. He's a schmuck. But his poor judgment only relates to his personal life. It has no bearing whatsoever on his legislative skills or accomplishments. Clinton is another fine example. He acted like an idiot with Monica Lewinsky, but in my view that had nothing to do with his abilities as President.
I have had enough of our collective voyeurism. We are living through a momentous period in history, and who knows how things will ultimately unfold. There could be very dark days ahead--or bright and hopeful ones. Let's get our heads out of the reality-TV mindset and refocus our attention and energy on what really matters.
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