I don’t usually touch the topic of politics, but it’s been impossible to open a paper or turn on the TV or radio and not see or hear something about the now infamous “Client 9″ and his philandering ways. I just shake my head in disgust.
I’d like to focus on his wife, though. I mentioned to a group of ladies I had lunch with last week that I couldn’t believe she stood next to him, appearing anyway, to be supporting him as he issued his vague apology and then again when he announced his resignation. Much to my surprise, most of my companions remarked that they’d have stood next to him too if they stood to get half his fortune. Huh?? Sorry, but my dignity can’t be bought and, what message did she send to her daughters?
One person did view it from a slightly different angle, that, while it didn’t completely persuade me, it at least made me pause. She said that on their wedding day, Mrs. Spitzer stood up before God and her family and vowed to remain true “for better or for worse,” and this episode merely represented the worse part. But, we’re not talking about financial ruin, illness, injury or other tough times here. What happens when one spouse breaks the vows of marriage–is the other still bound to keep up their end of the deal?
To me, Elliott Spitzer crossed the line in the worst possible way.
Until Next Time,
Joan
(c) 2008 All Rights Reserved
Interesting. When is it OK to stop being your word? I think in legal speak once once side has broken their side of the contract then it’s over. The other side is no longer bound to uphold theirs. And I think most people would agree with you that this principle applies in other non-legally binding cases.
I wonder though, if this is a fundamental cause of why the world works the way it does (my own judgment here). I wonder if the real measure of a person is that they continue to honor who they said they are, their own personal code of ethics even in the face of everyone else around them breaking their word.
Who knows what Mrs. Spitzer’s motivation was. It could just as easily have been honorable as not. I’m certainly not qualified to say.
Comment by thepracticeofyourlife — March 17, 2008 @ 4:36 pm |