Here is a commentary on the outrageous libel laws in the United Kingdom.
I am all for respecting the privacy of individuals, but to the extent those individuals allow themselves to become public (to include political) personalities they make themselves more the subject to public scrutiny. The fact that the man down the street is having an affair should be of little interest. The fact that some high ranking politician is using his position to seduce our wives and daughters (or husbands and sons) should be of interest to us, given that their power comes from us. We, via our adulation, are part of the problem and should thus be part of the solution.
I give you the Profumo Affair, to distance ourselves in time and space. But, there is also Representative Anthony Weiner or, for balance, Senator John Ensign (R-NV).
A free press, a freedom of speech, are important in helping us police our political life.
Hat tip to the Instapundit.
Regards — Cliff
3 comments:
Ah, yes, the good old days--Christine Keeler makes a far more photogenic tabloid scandal participant than anything we've seen since.
You are right about that!
And, John Profumo went off to do charity work after the scandal. Here is the short Wikipedia comment:
"After his resignation, Profumo began to work as a volunteer cleaning toilets at Toynbee Hall, a charity based in the East End of London, and continued to work there for the rest of his life. Eventually, Profumo volunteered as the charity's chief fundraiser. These charitable activities helped to restore the fallen politician's reputation; he was awarded a CBE in 1975, and in 1995 was invited to Margaret Thatcher's 70th birthday dinner."
Would that John Edwards would do the same.
Regards — Cliff
Ah yes....there is no indignation quite as venal in its objective than RIGHTEOUS indignation.......the moral high ground is such an exalted place.
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