Weinergate 2011, although nothing new, is part of a larger epidemic that has affected various people, mainly men, in positions of power and public service. What makes someone believe that sending lewd or nude photos of oneself to a second party on the Internet will not lead to exposure? What possesses someone to even attempt such a gutsy move, public image or not?
I suppose the problem with sexually active people in public service is that, often times a reason why one had been voted into that position was because of a perceived notion that this person is a family man, married with children. This facade lends itself to inevitable disappointment because it isn’t real. Why do people require their politicians to be picture perfect examples of what they want to be? Don’t we know that the more surface cleaning you do, the more the trash piles up? Perhaps that’s the reason these people make these mistakes. Because of the thrill of getting caught. The getting-caught part is the boner shrinker, so why do they do it, and how do they get caught?
Why Weiner showed his is perhaps because he’s… well, he’s got it going on. I’ve always appreciated his stances on various different issues, but after this whole thing and then a couple of other pictures of him shirtless or with his cats, he’s quite fit. Something tells me this won’t be too damaging of a scandal, and if anything, it has helped him get some publicity as most people on the right or who don’t live on the East Coast knew nothing of Anthony Weiner. Now they know him by last name, which is nearer the mark.
Conservative activist Andrew Breitbart who released the photos on his blog, in the words of Stephen Colbert, “Kanye’d” his press conference to even further embarrass the senator by demanding an apology, since he’s been so consistent in the past. The truth is, Breitbart is emblematic of the way conservatives take issue with the social life of not only their politicians but also everyone else. Instead of exposing a real story like embezzling funds or the like, he truly missed the mark by exposing aspects of his personal anatomy. True, Weiner’s actions were suspect and a bit creepy, but at least he didn’t, let’s say, get a bit funny in airport bathrooms or leave to Argentina to meet with your lover while using public funds. At least there were no hypocritical stances that would’ve added to the whole error in judgment. However, this isn’t to say that what he did was correct.
Let us not forget, conservative or liberal, it is wrong to cheat on your spouse. However, does there exist a culture of infidelity? Does consummation of such amorous endeavors constitute as solid cheating? Emotional affairs are one thing, but do children make it worse? Think of Arnold Schwarzenegger and his crazy love child situation. That is obviously worse because not only are his primary/public family hurt, so are his private family, who also works for aforementioned family. There are messed up situations in Weinergate, but nothing as crazy as what the former governor of California is going through.
Who does gross things like this? In my humble opinion, there is nothing more unsexy then pictures of people’s genitals, covered or not, or any other strange behavior that is akin to the sexual courting of chimpanzees, if they had the Internet. But honestly, I don’t care what you do with your laptop in your spare time. In fact, in a country that now has less married people than the unbetrothed, I feel as though politicians that are single would be better equipped to understand how to govern than politicians who are trapped in a constant prison they must abide by in order to stay in office. What exactly was Breitbart trying to expose of Weiner, besides the obvious? One could say that liberals revel in the sex scandals of conservative counterparts but then again, that’s because of the sanctimonious, self-righteousness that is an epidemic that conservatives are more susceptible to. These politicians only believe in big government when it comes to what you do with your romantic life and that there is only one way of life. Not only is that way of life the sole respectable one but the most human. So, when they do end up in situations like these, one could say, “Well, at least as a single/self-aware person I can have sex with whomever I want to and I shall,” at least I can.
I suppose the conclusion of this whole thing is if you’re going to talk the talk you got to walk the walk or at least keep it in your pants. Is this really what people have become? I don’t know what compels these men to do this, but I know one thing: it won’t stop.