March 13
I believe in forgiveness. For the most part, I have been a person who can forgive, but I will admit, that it comes with conditions. 99% of it has to do with the genuineness and authenticity of the one who is seeking it from me. Perhaps that condition alone is enough to condemn me to hell, but this is my true nature. Therefore, I believe that I can forgive pretty much anyone, so long as their heart is sincere.
What is sincerity? How do we know when someone is truly genuine and sincere? Are there people out there who know exactly how to manipulate there appearance to convince me and the masses that their penance is real?
This week, another high-profile, powerful individual, was publicly indicted for being involved in a prostitution scandal. Governor Elliott Spitzer of New York spent several days in conference with his attorneys as they tried to work out damage control that ultimately forced him to offer his resignation from office. Had he not, there would definitely have been impeachment hearings held to remove him from office.
In the midst of this media circus, I witnessed two separate, yet painful addresses that Gov. Spitzer conducted. Both times, he “apologized” for his behavior and stated that he was remorseful and that this would remain with him for the rest of his days.
I couldn’t help but notice that his wife was at his side. The pain she is suffering at the moment is, to me, unimaginable. But she is not unlike many other spouses that have had to stand aside while a powerful leader has publicly apologized for infidelity, breach of contract, destruction of trust, or a myriad of other transgressions, all of which have had severe unintended consequences when it came to the family of the transgressor.
At other, similar events, I recall the faithful spouses of people such as Senator Larry Craig, Pastor Ted Haggard, Senator Mark Foley, Reverend Jim Bakker, Governor Jim McGreevey and so on. There they stood, with their dignity shattered, but forced to put up a “strong front” in front of the entire world while their life partner airs their dirty laundry to the magnifying glass of rabid reporters, pundants and paparazzi and the spectacle of public humiliation.
My observation in each and every case concluded in a single, unified conclusion: Not ONE of these men projected any ounce of true, heartfelt and total attrition. As I watched these men justify their actions through slick speech-writing and hours of legal wrangling, the words spoken ring hollow with me. And that destitution was readily reflected in the faces of those who stood by their sides.
These latest public scandals, and their accompanying public displays of false contrition along with the media frenzy and circus atmosphere that is sure to follow reminds me of public history where the masses become rabid participants and as such, encourage the escalation of the mania. In Roman times, it was the Christians and the lions in the Colosseum; in early American history, the witch trials were the rage. Even as recently as the O.J. Simpson or Michael Jackson trial, the public’s need to feed on the chum of every horrific detail reflects how badly our society has debased itself.
As I work day to day at 35,000 feet, how often would you think I come across copies of discarded US Weekly, People, or InTouch magazine found on the plane after our passengers have left? I could fill hundreds of waste bins with these rags. Sadly, I can count on one hand how many copies of National Geographic, Scientific American or even Reader’s Digest that I have discovered left behind.
Rather than turn from the spectacle, the public rallying cry has morphed into “Love the train wreck – hate the conductor!”
I weep for society.
