My Dad had a terrific insight on the lessons learned from the Spitzer fiasco and the rise and tarnishing of his successor, David Paterson. In Ethics of our Fathers we are told that Hillel “once saw a man’s skull floating on a body of water: whereupon he said: Because you drowned others, you shall be drowned and ultimately those who drowned you they themselves will also be drowned.” (2:7)
There were far too many people gleefully cheering at Eliot Spitzer’s downfall. They were mimicking Spitzer’s own glee, but ultimately the ones who had the biggest joke played on them were the people themselves. For only a few hours after the honorable David Paterson took the oath over the Bible and was inaugurated in as Governor of New York, he admitted to having his own infidelity problems. And so who really is the joke on? Of course Paterson’s and Spitzer’s situations are radically different but the point remains the same: When we go on witch hunts the hunts will eventually come to our own doorsteps.
Celebrating downfalls is one of the saddest cultural mores of our society. It creates a world that encourages its own destruction. Its not that we should be lax with our standards, but that the most important trait a lawmaker can have is a sense of compassion and understanding. Divorcing compassion from judgment was Spitzer’s first great sin, everything after that is only commentary that repeats the very same offense.
posted March 19, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Everything we said in public about Eliot Spitzer was lashon hara and it should never have happened.
May he find atonement and forgiveness and peace.
As for the new governor, they were essentially split up at the time and were on their way to divorce. They worked through it and their marriage is stronger than ever (so they say, and I believe them). More power to them. They are to be looked up to. They made mistakes, they looked divorce in the eye, and decided their marriage and children were too important to throw it all away. Good for them.
posted March 19, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Funny that a few days after Wall Street types were gloating over Spitzer’s fall, Bear Stearns collapsed out of greed and mismanagement.
Spitzer’s lack of judgement hurt his wife and children. The Wall Street criminals hurt much of the US economy.
The yetzer hara of sexual urges is less damaging to society than the yetzer hara of greed.
posted March 20, 2008 at 6:27 am
The downfall of Eliot Spitzer should serve only as a wake up call that he, we, and all those in position of authority , leadership and power are first and foremost plain human beings. Meaning that they suffer the same temptations and frailities as the masses.
Have we forgotten “Slick Willie’s” lies to the american public and grand jury?
We should never be surprised about the misjudgments of the powerful, rich, or the celebrity.Their positions in life does not protect them from their own weaknesses or stupidity.
posted March 20, 2008 at 10:33 am
Those who play pay!
posted March 20, 2008 at 11:55 am
Eliot who? He is no longer important to anyone except those close to him and I hope B’net isn’t going to waste internet space on him.
posted March 20, 2008 at 1:16 pm
If I were Mrs. Spitzer ~ I would not only have stood by my man (as he confessed) with his head held high but I would have turned to him in front of all the media & slapped him so hard his brain would have started to think properly again! Then I would smile at him & at the media and walked away, leaving him all alone.
Divorce him? No way! I’d let him atone for his sins every day of our marriage ~ let them look at him & he at them day in & day out! Cheater!
posted March 21, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Bummer. I used to think self ruigheous ranting about the sins of others was a “born again” (you should pardon the expression) “right wing” thing.
I guess not.
I think self righteousness is unbecoming, no matter from whom it issues. Very few of us are utterly without sin. Or faults, if you prefer.
Was Eliot Spitzer a hypocrite? It seems so. But politics is a game of hypocrisy, power plays and trade-offs. I think it was Mark Twain likened it to sausage– something you don’t want to see being made. It’s ugly and it’s corrupt.
Until all God’s laws are observed by man– voluntarily–these human flaws and failings will be manifested, and more publically so by those who have acheived power.
But we can only condemn acts, not persons, or we ourselves are committing acts of prode, judgement… and other unGodly acts. Only God can judge our souls.
As for his wife, she did the noble thing and i salute her. Yes, i am a female.
It woud far more noble for all of us to pray for her– and for our entire planet, which needs so much healing. Tikkun, not blame.
posted March 22, 2008 at 3:09 pm
It is terribly sad that all the messages I have ever received about men is that they all cheat, that it is almost a right, or their perogative. A woman of valor? Ah, for a man of valor, worth his weight in gold, and the love and respect of his counterpart, a woman of valor. I hope in the next Life that I will understand it all.
posted March 24, 2008 at 2:06 pm
There is much to be learned from the Spitzer problems he left NYS with. We now find out altho he said he was not involved in any way that he was deeply involved in “troopergate”. The man is a liar.
posted March 28, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Ah Eliot Spitzer, the person without a soul, how you let all of us down, let your family down, let your spouse down and even let yourself down. A wealthy so called educated individual, that proved to be no better than the lowest trash on the street of a slum.
The wide ranging mental destruction that ES has caused can not be erased by any action on his part. Only forgiveness from on high can provide any degree of relief and that is beyound my wildness imagination. May he be confined to a remaining life & future death of torture, multitudes larger than he has rendered to society. Even this will be insufficient for repayment.
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