Punish the student victims, save the perverts?

[RonHack]

I just an eyeball of the Michigan Post, and I found myself infuriated with the selfishness of the current Republican Congress.

To wit:

<snip>

In the aftermath of an unfolding sex scandal involving sexually explicit instant messages and inappropriate e-mails between Foley and several underage male pages, there have been calls for the program to be suspended or abolished.

Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) has called for the current page class to be sent home and the whole program to be reviewed.

<paste>

Ah, I see. In other words: when a Congressman goes awry, cover your ass and punish the victims and the innocent, just to be safe.

Typical Republican values, folks!

Now, I'm of the mind of being neither Democratic nor Republican; both sides have commited sins in the past. But you'd think that this Administration would be a little MORE CIRCUMSPECT, and learn from the harsh lessons of history. About sex scandals in general, and how the equation (EGO + REPRESSED SEXUAL DESIRES) x POWER = SEX SCANDALS is as immutable as the Laws of Physics.

It seems to me, though, that the only lesson they've learned - and it shows that they're failing this class, since it never works out - is to correct a sex scandal, you first close the program that tempted the crooks, despite whether anyone IN THE PROGRAM IN QUESTION was involved, and hope the issue never comes up again.

At this rate, La Hood, and any others calling for the closing of the page program (which only rewards those who do well in school, from what I learned of it), are definitely not going to pass this test. So allow me to tell them what the ACTUAL correct answer will be:

<1> Keep the page program open. Punishing the students in these programs, the ones not even involved, or those victimized by powerful people, not only sends the wrong message to the voters; we also know that the program has done more good by encouraging young people about getting involved in the precious process of democracy, by exposing the inner workings of the Legislature. Keeping it open will also prevent this current scandal from being swept under the rug by doing something too short-sighted for anyone's good.

<2> By all means, investigate the situation. From what we know so far, the page program had no direct correlation between Foley and the sex scandal in question, except for the "exposure" of the child predator to young underaged people. Concentrating on the seats of power, and the people who knew of the problem yet covered it up, is where the investigation SHOULD start.

<3> Revamp the leadership roles in the Page Program. Keep out the partisanship, by nominating equal number of Democratic, Republican, and other parties into this role, and enforce the rule that ALL MISSIVES MUST BE COMMUNICATED TO ALL MEMBERS. We have the technology, so there's no more excuse for not informing everyone via e-mails, voice mails, or IM.


Sound planning there. Which means the Repubican wienership will NEVER go for it.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. It's like the Taliban - since the men can't control their raping,

the women have to wear burqas.

[NMMNG]

2. Bingo

Instead of addressing the predators they curtail the rights/habits/privileges of the victims. Typical.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

3. yep, the names change, while the games remain the same