Posted by
Husker Jeff on Friday, September 14, 2007 2:42:27 PM
I have been on vacation for the last 2 weeks and not reading politics. It has given me more time to distill my thoughts on this.
It is a given that almost every one of us has done the wrong thing in the past. We have lied, cheated, and stolen. It may have been hearing about an answer on a test before hand or taking a pen from work from home, but humans are sinners as a race and we are told that only through Jesus Christ can we be forgiven for those sins. In Christian teaching only Jesus was without any sin.
My problem with this Larry Craig thing is one of proportion. Do we demand that our leaders be without any sin? If they lie to their wife about other plans to avoid going to a boring play, are they unqualified for office? If they cheat at solitaire, should they be fired? Both of these show character flaws so, based on your arguments, yes. These people should be banned. But based on this, we cannot advance any candidates for all are flawed.
Much has been said about what Craig did or didn't do. Much about what he is or is not. What he pled guilty to was disorderly conduct. Begging, drunk in public, mooning, talking loudly when asked to be quiet, and soliciting sex are all things that fall under disorderly conduct. He did not plead guilty to soliciting gay sex.... Just for being disorderly. And this is a catchall charge used by police to effect public behavior. It is wonderful, because it is very subjective. I did not think it was disorderly but the judge or jury did, so it is.
If he had been convicted for public lewdness, bribery, grand theft, etc. I would not complain about getting him out of office. But honestly, disorderly conduct is the least offensive of any crimes, due to it's weak nature. You can even be convicted of disorderly conduct for jaywalking! As to why he pled guilty, think about it. If he was charged with soliciting sex, that would be one thing, but I have pled guilty to speeding tickets because I was told it would cost me more to contest the ticket than it would cost.
Seeing as how we do need candidates who can support our desires and those candidates will be human, where do you folks set the bar on our candidates behavior? And is that bar so high that only saints can cross?