Scabs
Recently, I was disillusioned and disappointed by yet another political leader. San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsome, was in the news several months ago because, after his rather public divorce from his wife, the handsome 39-year-old mayor had been seen stepping out with his just-turned 20-year-old girlfriend. Now, I understand that men have a very Darwinian pull toward younger women, so at this point, I wasn't feeling outrage, just disappointment in the fact that he was a bit of a scab... just a regular guy with regular flaws, not some dashing white knight who stood for justice and all things honorable. C'est la vie.
Though this was enough to put him in the Regular Guy category, I still agree with much of his politics and still thought of him as someone with whom I might even strike up a friendship if he and I were ever to cross paths while jogging in the park or some other perfectly regular person activity. That was, until recently.
Though his political views remain in line with the majority of the people in San Francisco, who, several years ago, elected him as mayor, Gavin has slipped up in the Being a Decent Human Being department, yet again. Last week, a scandal broke, in which Gavin's old secretary, who is married to Gavin's campaign manager and close friend, announced that she and Gavin had had an affair. Gavin took the heat and admitted his error. Though his adultery was abhorrent (seriously, your best friend's wife?), I was willing to cut Gavin some slack, due to his willingness to admit his grave mistake. He wasn't a white knight, not really even a regular guy, at this point, but a screwed up man with bad personal judgment. Well, he is in politics, after all.
But today on the radio they reported that Gavin Newsome has announced he has a problem with alcohol and will be entering a treatment program. Now, I'm all for admitting you have a problem, but, perhaps, I'm just burned out on politicians messing up and blaming their ugly behavior on alcohol, because I was just annoyed. It seems that, recently, there has been a rash of politicians who blame their terrible deeds on their "alcoholism". It seems they expect that they will be forgiven if they say, "It's because I'm an alcoholic that I am (insert one: gay, a child-molester, an asshole)." Personally, I'm not sold on that argument. You are what you are. If you're gay, be out and proud. If you're a child-molester, seek treatment for that problem. If you're an asshole, well, at least try to keep it out of your workplace. Step up and take responsibility for who you are. Grow up, people.
Though this was enough to put him in the Regular Guy category, I still agree with much of his politics and still thought of him as someone with whom I might even strike up a friendship if he and I were ever to cross paths while jogging in the park or some other perfectly regular person activity. That was, until recently.
Though his political views remain in line with the majority of the people in San Francisco, who, several years ago, elected him as mayor, Gavin has slipped up in the Being a Decent Human Being department, yet again. Last week, a scandal broke, in which Gavin's old secretary, who is married to Gavin's campaign manager and close friend, announced that she and Gavin had had an affair. Gavin took the heat and admitted his error. Though his adultery was abhorrent (seriously, your best friend's wife?), I was willing to cut Gavin some slack, due to his willingness to admit his grave mistake. He wasn't a white knight, not really even a regular guy, at this point, but a screwed up man with bad personal judgment. Well, he is in politics, after all.
But today on the radio they reported that Gavin Newsome has announced he has a problem with alcohol and will be entering a treatment program. Now, I'm all for admitting you have a problem, but, perhaps, I'm just burned out on politicians messing up and blaming their ugly behavior on alcohol, because I was just annoyed. It seems that, recently, there has been a rash of politicians who blame their terrible deeds on their "alcoholism". It seems they expect that they will be forgiven if they say, "It's because I'm an alcoholic that I am (insert one: gay, a child-molester, an asshole)." Personally, I'm not sold on that argument. You are what you are. If you're gay, be out and proud. If you're a child-molester, seek treatment for that problem. If you're an asshole, well, at least try to keep it out of your workplace. Step up and take responsibility for who you are. Grow up, people.
posted by Bert at 8:19 AM
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