Thursday, March 13, 2008

The Sad Fall of Governor Spitzer

The news is filled these days with the fall of Governor Eliot Spitzer; one time crusading Attorney General for New York State. There is an epidemic of glee with a flaming wheel of spin-offs that address Spitzer’s wife and the routine presence of the wives of men in high places, exposed for sexual indiscretions, standing mutely by their sides. There are articles about high priced hookers and what they’re like and maybe what they had for breakfast and what their favorite colors are. There are articles about the particular hooker who has most certainly been courted with book deals and speaking tours and may soon have her own DVD available that details the practice of sexual acts designed to help you keep your man. All over the internet the holier than thou; the outraged, the accident voyeurs, the chatter-monkeys, the ponderous pontificators and hope to be fornicators are weighing in with their views of what it all means...

There is something ugly in human nature which takes enjoyment from the misery of others. I don’t understand it myself. My first thought is always, “There but for fortune go I.” How people can extract entertainment and satisfaction from the destruction of a life is beyond me. I think of the families and friends and all the work of that man’s life. I think of the sheer human tragedy. I don’t believe that Governor Spitzer went down for this peccadillo; even in the draconian sexual climate of contemporary America’s PC fascist headspace. I think it’s more. I think interests on Wall Street were after him. It’s what makes sense. I think he was had through his weakness and groomed the same way one might groom a child to engage in prurient action. That the purveyor was an Israeli and that the Zionist money men of Wall Street were outraged by his scrutiny says a lot.

Nothing I will say here is to excuse Spitzer’s action but then, Spitzer’s actions are none of my fucking business and none of yours either. Here in Europe we laugh at American prudery and its childish ignorance of human nature. Whatever Spitzer did is not enough to justify his having to step down. One thing doesn’t have to do with the other; neither did Clinton’s blowjob. You self-righteous fools will one day find yourselves in the same position. It’s going to happen. You can’t expect to laugh at human weakness and celebrate someone’s fall and not have it come round and find you one day too. It’s going to happen.

Especially you Christians, you whitened sepulchers, who have missed out entirely on the message of your master, who time and again warned you about such behavior; we are all blind, naked and ignorant of the higher love. Forgiveness and understanding are the very hallmark of the teachings that you ignore at your peril.

When George W. Bush goes down, as he will, I will take no joy from the event. When he and his mass murdering associates without a drop of pity between them, are rendered to dust and their souls sent onward to the perdition that their own conscience will demand, I will have no happiness in the event. It is not mine, nor yours to extract vengeance from the doom of another.

You who have memorized so much scripture and think yourselves such moral folk know jackshit about the meaning of nearly everything contained in the words you spout with such glib assurance. You talk of hellfire and do not know what hellfire is. You talk about Heaven and have no idea what it contains or is composed from. Everything is code and metaphor. It is gematria and numbers woven in a poetry that can be understood only by the finest of minds or that of a child. There are two ways to perceive the intricacy of the matter; one is through wisdom and the other innocence. I speak of regenerated innocence not what is usually understood to be innocence and is rather an amalgam of Pollyanna fantasy and puerile imagination.

Something must be lost before it can be found. One must be broken before they can be strong. The essence of the thing is simplicity itself and not the province of intelligence or clever tongues. Not one in a million find the thing and it surrounds and permeates them at all times and in all places. It animates them. It mixes in the mist and is powerful in the dew. It is a timeless operation of the sun.

You can laugh and make your jokes about the tragedy of this life. A man trips and falls to the ground and the bystanders chortle. You don’t feel. You have no empathy. What can you rightly expect yourself when the time comes?

According to the mores and traditions of the time, this man broke the rules. No doubt he was arrogant in his power. He assumed to himself the privilege that they all do. As you read these words, men and women in positions of power are abusing their station and office. They rape children. They lie and steal. They murder. They shame the elements that compose them. They abuse their trusts and profiteer by the hour and think it will last forever.

Nearly everyone desires more. Nearly everyone looks on others with desire. Everyone imagines opportunity. Some act upon it and some do not but even within their minds the crime is committed. It could have been any one of us. Until you can achieve the awareness that your destiny is the lot of everyone and that an injury to anyone is an injury to all then you have no wisdom, compassion or understanding and you are... nothing at all.

I understand that when they heard the news on Wall Street that a mighty cheer went up. They applauded. Were these all righteous souls whose lives could stand scrutiny? I’ve been at the resorts and in the nightclubs and restaurants. I’ve been in the playgrounds of the rich. I’ve seen what people do. What they think... is resident in their eyes. Hardly a one among them would not take the opportunity to do the same as this man, had they the coin and power to manage it. Hardly one of them that can manage such a thing does not.

It is better for you that you gain humility while it is in your reach. It is better for you that you show discretion in what you celebrate. It is better for you that you cultivate awe before the mighty and transcendent power that orchestrates our lives and that you show compassion for those who fall because you do not know when or in what manner calamity will come upon you and come it will. Sorrow follows life. It tracks our footsteps. It is there always. So long as we are attached to people and things and to ourselves there will be loss and suffering.

My heart goes out to this man and his family. I cannot imagine what they must be feeling and the length of time that remains; the length of time over which they will relive and suffer anew at what has been visited upon them... and it is happening to others all over the world and every hour of every day.

Tread carefully as you go and take this man’s lesson to heart. We live in a time when nothing is enough and the flaming advertisements of the many objects of desire surround us on all sides. What waits for you further on the way? That is the question that should be asked.

Even Outlaws get their share...
Visible sings: The Sacred and The Profane by Les Visible♫ Miracle of Love ♫
'Miracle of Love' is track no. 11 of 13 on Visible's 2007 album 'The Sacred and The Profane'
Lyrics (pops up)

The Sacred and The Profane by Les Visible

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really don't get why this is such a big deal. There are alot of marriages out there that are just socially acceptable forms of prostitution when it comes down to it. And is it really that surprising or shocking to anyone these days when a prominent/powerful/famous person turns out to be doing something that's not on the up and up? It should almost be expected at this point.

But you're right...how entertaining it is to watch someone's life fall to shit. Sure gets alot more air time than the body count in Iraq. Maybe it makes everyone feel a little better about themselves? I don't get it. Honestly I'm just relieved to get a break from hearing about Britney Spears. Has she committed suicide yet? People froth at the mouth for this kind of thing. And yet STILL we accept the idea that we should all idolize and aspire to be like the rich and powerful. Oh to be famous and have a 15 minute spot on the nightly news dedicated to updating the public on your progress in rehab or latest fall off the wagon; the American dream!

Ben

Anonymous said...

Les you are truly amazing driving to work this morning I am from Canada my thoughts were an exact mirror of what you you just so beautifully put into words , words are inadequate they fail me.Unless you become like these little ones you can not indeed enter into or imagine the kingdom of God....Humble yourself...
Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I think he stepped on the wrong toes. One could imagine being given the choice of death or disgrace, and choosing the latter for your family's sake.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1261.shtml

Anonymous said...

This event is another yardstick for measuring the quality of our relationship with our culture at large.
But the time has passed for that. We didn't learn anything new.
Its just a reminder, a warning stop sign before the real stop sign that you'd better slow down because if you keep on like you're going there are cameras coming up and somebody could get hurt real bad. Some people, depending how fast they like to go, laugh in the face of danger because they are scared. And when there is fear, these same people lose their sense of reason.
We see this story unfolding time and again and the reactions are the same. The story doesn't change, just names and faces - photos showing others who've been there - okay, no thanks, we got the point already, we got it when we watched Jesus falling under the weight of the cross, when the slaves died on the slaveships, when the witches burned in Salem, when JFK and Bobby were assasinated, we got it on 911, we got it on Iraq, and when Haitians ate dirt cookies, and illegals fried in tin cans and Hurricane homeless were served formeldehyde trailers, we got it when our dogs died and we got it when the bees disappeared and there was no more Dennis or Ron Paul or John Edwards anymore, ok, ok, we get it now. They're losing us and that doesn't matter either.

Like a love affair gone to shreds, there is a point when you just gotta walk away and feel the beauty of every day your day goes well.
Nina

Anonymous said...

I agree with what you say. Mankind does seem to relish someone's collapse. One sees it all the time, we build people up and love it when they crash down. Like rows of dominoes.
But when George Bush goes down I am going to jump so high and yelp so loudly and celebrate with every fibre of my being.
This is not right - and there by grace could I be sitting in the white house being part of man's destiny.
But still I would rejoice in any discomfort he and his cohorts may hopefully one day experience.
So selective compassion on my part smacks of double standards. And I guess I have to accept that my double standards will be there till they are not. I can only hope that this will not take another 1000 lifetimes.

Anonymous said...

Like a love affair gone to shreds, there is a point when you just gotta walk away and feel the beauty of every day your day goes well.
Nina

Beautiful...thank you.

Anonymous said...

You are very thoughtful, Susannah, to make the effort to say that. I thank YOU.

Your friend, Nina






BOOKS, MUSIC, VIDEO



FEATURED READ-

Joseph Brenner




Visit the recommended reading page for many more.





FEATURED MUSIC-


'The Miracle of Love' from the Les Visible Album
The Sacred and The Profane



Visit the Blog Music Page
to stream all of Visible's music for free
(purchase is always appreciated but entirely optional)





FEATURED VIDEO-


A classic Visible post:



With gratitude to Patrick Willis.

Click here to watch and comment on Vimeo and here to read the original text.



Visit the Blog Videos Page for many more.