Wow, the Kossacks are having fun with this one. I just did a little research:
Congressman Foley's vote on Defense of Marriage Act: yay!
Foley's Christian Coalition Congressional Scorecard Rating (2004): 84%
At least Katherine Harris dodged a bullet: she can brag that Foley withheld his endorsement of her. Whew.
Update: Looks like she who shall not be named here is the chosen defender? Cleaning the GOP's toilets seems to be her job description these days.
And all this talk about Studds and Frank and Clinton is really pathetic. We have lost the focus that when an adult gets sexually involved with an adolescent there can be emotional damage to that young person. A sixteen or seventeen year old, even if they are sexually active with people their own age, simply does not have the emotional inventory to handle the advances of a mature adult. Foley's behavior was completely irresponsible and reprehensible. End of story.
And over at Shakes's place, there's Foley's smack-down of Bill Clinton as being "vile."
ReplyDeleteHmmm... Let's check out the handy Vileness-O-Meter, shall we?
While I appreciate the irony of pediatric panties, shouldn't you have found a set of itty bitty boxer shorts?
ReplyDeleteThat's what I asked her, Doug, but the very thought nauseated her. Can't blame her.
ReplyDeleteYeah, remember I have a 7yo boy. That, plus the thought that Foley might blogsearch his own name and get turned on by little boy panties at my site is even more nauseating. Ew.
ReplyDeleteBut ya know, the blogosphere is clearly going over the top calling him a pedofile. There is a difference between a 7 yo and a sexually active (if you read the text msgs) 16-17 yo. Foley's real crime is total, total, hypocrisy.
"There is a difference between a 7 yo and a sexually active (if you read the text msgs) 16-17 yo."
ReplyDeleteNot under the law in most states (Texas included). Sadly, I have seen high school seniors (18 yrs old) given felony criminal records (not to mention a lifetime of sex offender registration) for "making out" with their freshman (14 yr. old) girlfriends. The recent rewriting of criminal statutes across the country to eliminate "statutory rape," and eliminating consent as a defense means that horny stupid teenagers are treated precisely the same as godless perverts who lust after 7 year old boys (who I'm sure we all agree should be buried under the courthouse).
argh.
ReplyDeleteAge does matter, in my opinion, but there's also a huge trust issue here. Foley represents a person in authority: the page is younger and vulnerable. This is a total and complete abuse of power, of trust. It's, if not "pedophilia" per se, certainly akin to sexual harassment.
ReplyDeleteAnd that's bad, too.
Of course he had a high rating from the Christian Coalition and supported the Defense of Marriage Bill, none of these things meant any thing to him except saying what ever he needed to say to maintain his office. Usually the ones trying to legislate my morality have none themselves. Blue you summed it up best: Foley's behavior was completely irresponsible and reprehensible. End of story.
ReplyDelete