Like so many New Yorkers, I've been trying to make sense of the sex scandal in which Eliot Spitzer now finds himself, and which has left New York in something of a political limbo. At first, I reasoned that the scandal was about the widening gap between our private and public lives, as well as the puritanical view of sexuality so prevalent in this country. But then it occurred to me that I was being far too easy on the disgraced governor, and that the issue was much larger than the role conservative value systems play in our lives. What is actually important, I concluded, is that Mr. Spitzer, a politician who rose to power on a platform of integrity and a seeming desire to end corruption from Wall Street to Albany, abused his power and took advantage of the faith given by constituents--wrecking not just a promising political career, but also humiliating his family in the process. (His wife, Silda Spitzer, has appeared at both of the governor's press conferences this week; she was seen earlier today with heavy eyes; it was clear that she had been crying.)
I should say that I am surprised at these developments, but given the nature of the allegations and his take-no-prisoners approach to crime as attorney general, I should have seen it all along.
[d\r]
I should say that I am surprised at these developments, but given the nature of the allegations and his take-no-prisoners approach to crime as attorney general, I should have seen it all along.
[d\r]
3 comments:
I blame internet porn ;), and yes, our Puritanical, hypocritical roots. I guess power and sex politics have always gone cock in hand (and climaxed out of control by the porn industry) and have blurred, especially among people in such high-powered white mansion roles (though not just in roles prone to corruption), Wall Street not withstanding, which I find so ironic--that philadering boy's club misogynists are cheering his demise, as if they are not doing the same thing; I guess the boy's club only extends to those who have helped give them hand jobs.
Aparently Spit-fire could not satisfy his power-play desires at home with his routinely brilliant, powerful attorney-wife, but rather with a dumb low-class/"high-class call girl" who he can easily and officially objectify. Perhaps it's the inner struggle/dichotomy of the (particularly American?) "good" vs. "bad" mindset as played out in the "Virginal wife" vs. the "fantasy slut" role (as foreplayed by internet porn). Why are men still doing the Virgin-Slut thing? Why must they play out their fantasies in guilt-laded, illegal ways? Why is it that these men can only feel empowered and in control by taking it away from their wives? How can such smart men be such cavemen? Are these women doing the same? What I want to know, what I want to see in the newspapers, is what (or who) these political wives are doing.
Spit-fire is known as being whip-smart (no pun intended), yet how very dumb of him to be texting pimp woman and taking out thousands of dollars from an ATM (horniness of the moment apparently overpowering thoughts of future consequences, as other such "blinded" men have cited) without realizing it would look suspicious or be traced.
We are all "guilty" of compartmentalizing and fantasizing, but some drive themselves over the edge to hurt or because they are hurt, because we don't "need" them.
As women gain more power and equality in our society, are men going to keep trying to usurp, assert theirs, as anti-Hillary voters are doing? Cock-sure. Where is the cunt-sure? Ladies? Can I get a cunt-sure?
When did sex politics step outside of the realm of morality? When will America learn that morality and sexual fantasy can live hand in hand, or fist in hand, or hand in fist. That they can marry as one.
Of course, Spitzer's downfall ultimately has nothing to do with sex. If he'd been caught doing some insider trading or attending cockfights, it would have been the same: anyone who set themselves up as a moral paragon of unblemished integrity had better really be a moral paragon of unblemished integrity. Otherwise, they've headed for precisely this sort of fall.
Well said, L. and anonymous.
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