I have a visceral negative reaction to cheating, no matter who is doing the cheating and regardless of whether or not I'm personally involved. The first time I ever heard of anyone "cheating" was the Monica Lewinsky scandal back when I was 10 years old. I was completely horrified by it! Why would a husband do that to his wife? What did Hillary do to deserve that? How could a father do that to his daughter? I was very upset with Bill Clinton in my little kid mind.
Fifteen years later, I haven't changed much when it comes to this topic. If anything, I take a harder line on it. Eight years ago I was on the "Monica" side of a cheating situation. I was 17 and when I realized how morally wrong everything I was doing actually was, I was the one who ended it. He is still married to the same woman. I've recently found out that he has continued cheating on her for seven years with at least three other girls.
Three years ago when I heard about Tiger Woods cheating on his wife with multiple women, I was destroyed. My dad had been through two heart surgeries and used the inspiration he got from Tiger's golf game to help himself get through physical therapy. Suddenly all of that meant nothing. Sure, his game still stood, but what did Tiger himself stand for?
Two years ago, Anthony Weiner was caught sexting many women. His wife, Huma, was pregnant with their son and I cried when I heard the news. Huma is a role model for women everywhere and she was publicly humiliated by her husband. A lot of women wanted her to leave Anthony because we all knew it was a chronic problem, not just a one-time occurrence (not that having a one-time fling is okay--Bill Clinton--it just changes the game a little bit).
Two weeks ago, Weiner got caught again. And it's not like the sexting was from 2011--it's from one year ago. A year ago is also around the same time he was in People Magazine saying he felt "like a different person."
When the new sexts came out a few weeks ago, people were shocked. Why? We need to learn that when people have a chronic cheating problem, it's chronic. That means that it does not go away. Men (and women) who cheat over and over, promising they'll "never do it again" every time they get caught, do not change.
Some people argue that rehab helps. Sure, just like it helps an alcoholic or drug user: that person will be fine until something triggers them and they need control or a "high" or whatever they use their addiction for.
Anthony Weiner is not a "different person." Neither is Tiger Woods or the guy I was involved with eight years ago. These chronic cheaters will always cheat. So don't let them cheat you by voting for them.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." --Gandhi
More to your point: Bill Clinton didn't have just one incident. Before he was elected the first time, it was well known and documented (audio tapes, depositions)that he was a serial cheater. He and Hilary even hired a woman to handle "bimbo eruptions"--their words, to try to intercept any woman who may have wanted to go public. I know you were only a child then, but I lived through it in real time and remember people excusing his behavior as 'private', 'sexual'--nothing to do with being president. I maintain that, if a spouse is willing to lie, cheat and humiliate his/her life partner, why would he/she behave any differently when governing/leading the people of this country. Good blog!
ReplyDeleteWow! I had no idea! Hmm...Off to do more research!
DeleteThank you so much for your feedback. :-) Always appreciated!
Look up: Betsey Wright, woman who was in charge of 'bimbo erruptions'
ReplyDeletePaula Jones v William Clinton lawsuit
Gennifer Flowers-actual phone call audio was made public; alleged long term affair in the 1990's
He was accused of rape of a campaign worker, coming on to a White House worker who was asking for a favor for her husband, etc....
Oops--Gennifer Flowers affair was in 1980's; want to be accurate!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the Tiger Woods thing. Much like Lance Armstrong, his cheating, albiet a different kind than Lance's, undid a lot of the positive inspiration Woods provided to millions of people around the world.
ReplyDeleteHowever, we as people who romanticize celebrities bear some of the responsibility for "cheating scandals" when we're "shocked" that a celebrity turns out to be, in fact human. With all the ugliness, shortcomings, and general absurdity that humans all have.
That said, the thing with Weiner IS disgusting...and his name is still Weiner!