So Anthony Weiner has resigned. Lacking anything better over which to obsess, the rapidly declining U.S. media created a faux scandal that forced Weiner to resign. The story is very brief. The former House member sent an electronic picture of himself wearing briefs to a woman. Rather than creating a fictional email and Twitter account, Weiner sent the pictures using his official email address. He also used various accounts bearing his name in order to engage in sexual banter and to flirt with several women. The outrage surrounding this issue forced Weiner to resign. Before he resigned, several Democrats -- including President Obama -- told Weiner that he should quit. This decision should upset anyone who believes in personal liberty.
Weiner's conduct was reckless for a politician. He risked getting caught and subjected to a political scandal. This observation, however, does not indict the underlying behavior itself. It only means that he was not politically savvy. With respect to Weiner' conduct, however, there are no allegations (at least credible ones) that he violated any criminal laws, committed a tort, or violated any statutory rights held by any of the women with whom he communicated. In fact, it seems that several of them willingly engaged in sexual banter with Weiner. In other words, Weiner resigned because he engaged in noncriminal sexual conduct that appears to have been consensual or otherwise nonabusive.
Puritanical Values
The United States has a long and tired history of suppressing consensual sexual conduct. Historically, white women have been viewed as "sexually pure"; they should not engage in or be exposed to sex outside of marriage. Weiner crossed this socially constructed boundary. Dignified male politicians should act like "gentleman." Their sex should remain private and restrained. Weiner crossed this boundary as well. And teenagers, LGBT persons and persons of color have all been stigmatized due to sexual conduct and stereotypes. The reaction to Weiner implicates this long puritanical history that seeks to strip away sexuality in very racial and gendered terms.
Despite the ways in which the reaction to Weiner implicates a troubling slice of U.S. history, many self-proclaimed liberal critics refuse to defend Weiner. Instead, they continually make the observation that his behavior was stupid, that he was asking to get caught. Not too long ago, people routinely made this same argument when gays and lesbians who came out of the closet experienced employment discrimination. Although Weiner's situation is not completely analogous to the struggle for LGBT rights, the reaction to his conduct sounds eerily familiar. Rather than focusing on his right to engage in consensual sexual conduct, many people are simply arguing that he should not have done so. But this does not explain why the country treats sexual expression as immoral.
Hypocritical Values
The United States ranks among the world's largest markets for pornography and prostitution. Nevertheless, it retains relatively puritanical views about sex. Until recently, federal law shielded the supposedly strong and heroic members of the armed forces from the presumed threat of homosexuality. States have rushed to ban same-sex marriage. A significant portion of the country opposes teaching teenagers about birth control -- even though teenage pregnancy remains a serious problem.
Down in the Bible Belt, residents of Dallas, Texas often joke that the city has more churches and strip joints than any city in the nation. In Texas, however, state law bans the sale of "sex toys," unless they are necessary for medical purposes. Texas treats sex toys as obscenity -- unless you need them for medical purposes.
These are just a few examples of the hypocritical stance towards sexuality in the U.S. Weiner's resignation brings that hypocritical history to the surface.
Weakness
Rather than treating Weiner's conduct as politically unwise -- but generally harmless -- Democrats rushed to kick him out of office. Predictably, the party caved when it could have resisted a silly scandal.
Ironically, the weak party has now kicked out one of its most passionate and fearless members. But this is typical of Democrats -- very typical and disappointing. Several other politicians on both sides of the aisle have suffered political scandal, but they kept fighting (remember Clinton). Today, the Democrats cannot fight at all. They have the spines of slugs.
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into sex scandals. Contrary to the often heard opinon that sex sells they are losing
steadily. Their strange hypocrisy and scandalizing is coming to an end as well, some day.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2011/jun/24/national-newspapers-advertising
You know Dem's overall Hypocrisy in totality is the real problem
the media must be bold enough to write about this not just one article but over and over again until this level of Hypocrisy is exposed and eradicated.
Have you ever seen his scary attack dog presentations he gave in congress?
When I saw the anger and insulting comments, with his veins bulging in his neck; I NEW
something was seriously WRONG with this man.
Phallus shaped and sized devices are sold medically by the millions annually worldwide for pessaries. Somehow they don't last as long as you might think. The same sorts of things are used to help reduce prostate swelling, following ramifications of various cases.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_v._Texas
I think we lost a very good congressman. I was in the 'do not resign' camp, even though I deplore his foolish antics.
As far as people not liking being lied to, a lot of us don't like sensationalism and pompous hypocracy for its own sake.
"Sexual expression…"; I guess that's what you call creepy, narcissistic, crude exhibitionism involving his bulge, covered or otherwise, being shot all over the Internet like a skeezy freshman rather than a married man elected to Congress. I'm not making judgments on his morality - that's up to him, his wife, and the women to whom he "expressed" himself. It's that it’s ridiculous to pretend there isn’t an expectation of decorum, intelligence, dignity and integrity in his particular position. Doesn't always work that way – Vitter’s still on the job, Newt didn’t have a problem throwing stones and God knows if John McGee will resign over his DUI – but it seems so little to expect decorum and honestly as the lowest common denominator, doesn’t it?
Should Weiner have resigned? Considering the staying power of that shady list above, probably not. But if a teacher "sexually expressed" themselves as Weiner did, they'd be out of a job. As would a doctor, a lawyer, a police chief, and many other professionals.
Maybe the problem isn’t that the Democrats have “spines of slugsâ€; maybe it’s that the GOP has such lower standards for their own members.
"....I'm not making judgments on his morality - that's up to him, his wife, and the women to whom he "expressedÂ" himself"
Hello Lorraine, the first quote very much makes a moral judgment on his bahaviour. The second quote seems to wash it's hands of the first. Perhaps this indicates the kind of moral ambivalence that the author is trying to describe.
Webcam sex is a form of human sexual expression and, very often, a remedy for sexual loneliness. It's physically safe for participants. It might surprise you to know that women use webcams to relieve the very same frustrations.
Now, a politician's wife may well strongly object to her husband playing like this, but equally, a wife may actively encourage her never-at-home husband to get off in this harmless way. I know of couples who appreciate the advantages. I think the the biggest public moral failing Weiner had was trying to lie his way out. No moral ambiguity there.
The sexual conduct of any public figure is of no interest to me unless it is illegal or it makes a mockery of that figure's public sentiments about sex. This is a big, sexy world full of adults of every possible orientation and penchant. Getting your webcam groove on should be of no consequence to anyone except your partner. This applies to all public figures, male or female.
As for webcam sex/broadcasting: if that’s an outlet you need or want to express your sexuality and assuage loneliness, you’re right: “it’s a big sexy world,†so go for it. Not only do I not have any objections, I don’t care.
What I do query is the notion that it’s just good, clean fun with no ramifications (oh why does it never seem to stay that way??). I imagine it can be if it involves consenting adults fully aware that there exist tangible images of them in flagrante that could potentially be broadcast around the globe.
But when images of that "harmless" fun are utilized in ways that betray a wife, hurt a family, creep-out a Twitter fan, let down constituents and demean a respected position, elected or otherwise, “getting your camera groove on†becomes a narcissistic and destructive act of self-indulgence.
As for lying about it, as morally reprehensible as that is, that’s the ONE thing I actually understand. Weiner’s a smart guy who was acting out like a juvenile; juveniles lie when they’ve been caught…it fits the behavior.