THE THURSDAY RANT Before we start today’s Rant, I’m inviting everyone to join me tonight at 8 p.m. on My Helping Hands Press’ Facebook site for an multi-author event. MHHP will give away a free paperback copy of The Diaries of Pontius Pilate, so why not stop by? Here’s the link https://facebook/pages/Helping-Hands-Press/505676489459733 And now the Rant: The General’s Affair This is part one of my November 28, 2012 column in the Leader Vindicator. Part One The great President Ronald Reagan once observed that since we can’t “pass it to our children in the bloodstream,” democratic values must be taught. Thus, “freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” On a recent Saturday I surfed upon a CNN panel of journalists and it occurred to me the same might be said of civilization itself. The panel was dumbfounded that CIA Director David Petraeus resigned over a “mere affair.” What’s the big deal, asked the CNN moderator. The USA Today editor wondered if we lived in “puritan” times. I admit, my initial reaction was “this is more protecting the administration.” As first a High School, then College Journalist and until now, I’ve never witnessed such blatant partisanship on the part of the press. But after another moment, it hit me: they really meant it. Three thirty something American journalists didn’t understand that a CIA Director might not want his wife, children or the public to discover his misconduct. Apparently, they were unaware of the countless examples where mistresses obtained valuable information through pillow talk and where hostile powers discovered someone’s misconduct and leveraged such knowledge to obtain secrets. Americans once realized that when we entrust immense power to certain individuals, its crucial they be trustworthy. If a high official betrays one oath and their spouse to use power to get a good looking woman, couldn’t they betray another oath and strangers to use power to hurt a political opponent, or to make some money, or something even worse? Rules has no difficulty believing over the course of his and our life, Petraeus was and is the better man. However, at issue is Petraeus misconduct while CIA Director, misconduct that calls his trustworthiness into question - just into question. Once, Americans knew rules weren’t made for individuals, they were made for positions of power and then blindly applied to those holding that power, because . . . Continued next Thursday. This is a column of opinion and satire. The author knows of no undisclosed facts. Contact Lewis, the author of The Diaries of Pontius Pilate, at josephmaxlewis and click on Rimersburg Rules. © Joseph M. Lewis
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 13:08:28 +0000
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