Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Mark Foley is just the latest in a long line of hypocrites

Isn't it strange that those in Washington who spend their careers railing against how others live their lives seem to spend an awful lot of time doing the very things they preach against? We can begin with the vocally active racist Strom Thurmond, who early in his career used coercion (a nice way of putting it) to father an illegitimate child with the family housekeeper.

Then we can go to the congressional overlords conducting the drug war, who won't set an example by allowing themselves to be drug tested. (Only one possible reason for that.) Or how about Tom DeLay and Newt Gingrich, who spent their time in the spotlight screaming about ethics and stomping out corruption?

Follow the long line of hypocrites until you arrive at the current disgusting display of Mark Foley, who spent a decade fighting the porn business and advancing child protection and turns out to have used that very station to promote his sexual proclivities. Perhaps it is time for those in the Capitol to stop regulating how we live our lives and start actively looking at their own.

Steven Lipson, Valrico

What was the GOP thinking?

What was Mark Foley thinking? Better yet, what was the Republican Party thinking? And why didn't the House leadership do anything about it?

Putting aside the gross stupidity of former Rep. Foley, I was simply dumbstruck by the response of Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, when he said that the party leadership failed to take action because they didn't want to appear to be homophobic. Since when!

I'm not sure what's more egregious - another hypocritical Republican or the leaders of his party and their asinine efforts to lie to the American people and "cut and run."

Carl Thompson, St. Petersburg

A matter that goes beyond gender

I have to wonder if the outrage and titillation over the e-mails and instant messages sent by Mark Foley would have been as great if the object of his lust was a female minor?

The moral and sensible part of me answers that question with an unequivocal yes. It is outrageous no matter what sex the victim was. But what I think will give this story "legs" and increases the anger is that it was young males who were targeted. I sure hope a future news story states the obvious: Using the Internet to "solicit" a minor is just wrong!

Diana Rao, Tampa

Put the blame on Foley

Re: Shock, outrage, in Foley's district, Oct. 2.

I am shocked and outraged that one of the people interviewed blamed it on Democrats digging for dirt rather than on Mark Foley's actions. I can understand party loyalty to a point, but this is disgusting. Another person says that what Foley did is "the result of society's acceptance of homosexuality." Hmm, isn't it interesting that not everyone of the homosexual persuasion "hits" on underage children under their protection?

What seems to be missing is the understanding that Foley was in effect a manager for these youths. In any business relationship, it is sexual harassment for a manager to make sexual advances to a subordinate no matter the age or sex. These boys were in the care of the House of Representatives. How can anyone, Republican or Democrat, male or female, blame anyone or anything other than the person who committed these sexual deeds?

I find it amazing that rather than research the person who was/is running for Foley's seat, most of these people show blind loyalty by saying they'll vote for the Republican no matter who he/she is! No wonder our country is in its present mess!

Virginia Conn, Spring Hill

Don't link this with homosexuality

Re: Shock, outrage, in Foley's district.

I was outraged to read this article and see a comment comparing Mark Foley's contact with an underage page to homosexuality. As a member of the GLBT community, I am tired of being compared to a group of individuals whose behavior is not only reprehensible but illegal! Statements such as this are what keep our teenage brothers and sisters deep in the closet and on the edge of suicide.

Jan Lowe, Seffner

If it had been a Democrat ...

Can you imagine if a Democrat did what Mark Foley did? The Republican reaction would be this: Ken Starr would be re-employed, a special session of Congress would be called, $60-million would be approved to investigate it at all levels and the president would be traveling the country with fancy backdrops: "GOP - Protecting our Children."

Jim Steinle, Clearwater

A too convenient excuse

Though Dr. Samuel Johnson told us that "patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel," lately it has been supplanted by alcohol rehab. We now see a congressman, with no previous acknowledgement of dependency, publicly stating he "is sure he is an alcoholic," admitting himself to a treatment facility and thereby hoping that his egregious transgressions will be explained away.

Alcoholism is an acute illness and certainly not something to be used as a pretext for behavior that is totally unacceptable regardless of circumstances.

Thomas Hayes, St. Petersburg

Foley shouldn't escape punishment

So this is his big mea culpa: Booze made me do it? I hope he is not let off with a slap after a stint in the plush confines of a celebrity rehab center.

Treat him the way we would any Internet sexual predator - send him to jail. And take away his pension. If a teacher or police officer did the same thing, his or her pension would be forfeit.

Nancy Schubart, Treasure Island

From bad to worse

Once upon a time (almost two years ago) in a land far away (somewhere in the Midwest) people gave others cigarettes for votes and we thought that was very, very bad. Now we have the story of someone with instant messages (evidence) indicating that an adult was sexually preying upon children and that someone withheld the evidence until it could be released for the maximum political advantage. That is not very, very bad, that is monstrous.

Mike Armstrong, Dunedin

A disappointing lack of action

I am very disappointed you sat on the Mark Foley story for nearly a year. Don't you have any investigative reporters who could have verified it for you?

Christine Dohlmar, Valrico

Party ignored plight of the pages

The Republicans who knew about Rep. Mark Foley's attempts to seduce congressional pages swept what they knew under the rug.

For years, the Republicans have promoted and supported family values and morals, and yet they were quick to abandon these values and morals when it came to keeping a Republican in a congressional seat. They even ignored the plight of the pages they were supposed to be protecting.

All Democrats and independents have to do to make a change is vote.

Ken Steinke, Gulfport

[Last modified October 3, 2006, 23:36:12]