Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Musings On A Sex Scandal

On the one hand we have the blatant hypocrisy of a self-styled corruption fighter caught doing what he put others in jail doing. It seems pretty clear he should be called out for such actions. But on the other hand, besides his wife, should anyone really care whether or not Eliot Spitzer paid for a piece of ass on the side?

There is a sordid voyeurism at work when this type of "scandal" emerges. Whenever a sex scandal breaks, the television news becomes laden with titillating images of strippers, peep shows, and out of the woodwork come a phalanx of current and former call girls to explain the shadowy underworld of prostitution. This isn't news, it's lurid entertainment. Not that I am against such diversions, but let's not kid ourselves.

I don't know if I should admire Spitzer's Republican opponents for calling him out on his hypocrisy or to complain about their hypocrisy and antiquated sexual mores. Does anyone remember Larry Craig? He was trying to solicit anonymous gay sex in a public bathroom, for fuck's sake. He made a living as an anti-gay, anti-sex politician. His hypocrisy is no less than Spitzer's. You know what they call him? Senator.

Should Democrats grow a backbone and run Craig out of office? Is it simply cowardice that prevents them from doing so? Or is their lack of action an attempt to stake out a position of sexual tolerance? If so, is that the path to a more enlightened, sex-positive society? Fuck, I don't know.

1 comment:

Pernox said...

This makes me think of the Clinton era BJ. In my opinion Bush has done worse, but there are no Congressional investigations or calls for impeachment on him.

My opinion is split. Its really between the spouse and the person involved. And you're right, this more entertainment/gossip mag stuff than news. I don't even think calling out their hypocrisy is an issue. To me the issue, for example with Larry Craig, wasn't that he was soliciting or even likes gay sex, it was that he was such an anti-gay bigot (whether or not he liked gay sex).

In Spitzer's case, his patronage in something deemed illegal in his State is the issue. It doesn't need to be about him and his wife or his mistress, but that he should be tried as John, just like anyone else would.

I think Democrats should grow a backbone just in general.