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A true conundrum for DU'ers: "Whether 'tis nobler,..etc, etc.."

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Parisle Donating Member (849 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 08:44 PM
Original message
A true conundrum for DU'ers: "Whether 'tis nobler,..etc, etc.."
--- There is a republican congressional representative who could be on very thin ice, come reelection time in 2008. This congressman is among the worst of the rightwingers, and he normally carries his district without any problem. He would, however, have a severe problem if the district knew that his top PR guy was gay. For the time being, this is not a problem.

--- The PR guy is an old friend of mine since the late sixties. We came up through media together,.. radio and newspapers... and he's really good in his professional capacity. (How he can work for a republican is a curiosity, though. I guess the pay is good.) I'm not gay, nor do I harbor any resentful concerns about it. (at least a third of my media and ad agency friends are gay,.. been that way since the 70's,... not an issue, ok?) But my "old friend" takes it a bit too far,.. and under-age boys are part of that stretch. I frankly thought that his internet cruising would have gotten him nailed a couple of years ago. I am personally ashamed of his behavior, and it would light this district up like a pinball machine.

--- And just incidentally, I tried to drop a few significant hints here in the DU about this prior to the 2006 election,... hoping that some enterprising progressive soul would take up the challenge, research the facts, and spare me the personal dilemma of knowing that I could conceiveably deprive the GOP of a congressman by "outing" an acquaintance of mine. No such luck,... the DU was more into talking than listening during that season.

--- So,... now another election cycle is bearing down upon us. I wouldn't be writing this if I was not somehow closer to doing the unthinkable. One seat in Congress is one seat in Congress. Et tu, Brute? I'm open to advice. Anyone?
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acmavm Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 08:46 PM
Response to Original message
1. No suggestion, I'm just trying to figure out what you delimma has to do
with committing suicide.
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MadMaddie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 08:48 PM
Response to Original message
2. It is a conundrum...however...since he has a penchant for
underage boys...that is a crime. Whether the police find out about from an unidentified source or other means...he deserves to go to jail.


This rightwing Congressman that you mention...I think this would damage him because he has to know this guy that works for him is into this (and that won't bode well for him) or if he doesn't know...why doesn't he know...so it is a win-win..

Get this pedophile off of the street.
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cosmik debris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 08:49 PM
Response to Original message
3. If it is your business to "out" this guy
Then go ahead and do your business. But if it is none of your business, let someone else do it.

If you use their methods to achieve your goals, you are one of them, not one of us.
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Parisle Donating Member (849 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:10 PM
Response to Reply #3
8. "My business?"
--- You leave little doubt as to where your sympathies lie. Your "methods" argument is also off-base. If someone is trying to kill me, then I would hope to be able to kill them first. Murder is a crime,..... killing in self-defense is not. But the methods could be very similar.
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cosmik debris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:18 PM
Response to Reply #8
11. I have no horse in that race.
I took it for granted that you were smart enough to know what was "your business" and what was "none of your business" Maybe I was wrong.

I also took it for granted that you had no proof that a crime had been committed or you would have done your LEGAL duty to report the crime. Again, maybe I was wrong.

I also took it for granted that outing people for political reasons is a RW tactic that we lefties deplore. Maybe I was wrong.
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Parisle Donating Member (849 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:35 PM
Response to Reply #11
12. One out of three, cosmik. Not bad, actually.
--- I think that "personal business" versus "the nation's business" more correctly describes the stand-off. And you're correct that I have no evidence, though that would not be a problem. But you perhaps stated the matter in its best absolute terms, and I appreciate that. "Outing people for political reasons." It IS a heinous thought. That's why I was asking for advice.
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cosmik debris Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:46 PM
Response to Reply #12
15. So it boils down to what is "your business"
And what is "none of your business". There are a lot of people in this world who will be happy to answer that for you, but I'm not one of them. But I can give you a hint: If you don't KNOW one way or the other, it probably is "none of your business"

But just in case, if you do decide to "out" this person, get the evidence FIRST. If you are going to destroy someone's life, it should be based on FACTS not opinions. You say the evidence is no problem, so get the evidence--no problem.
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saracat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:37 PM
Response to Reply #3
13. Nothing wrong with using their methods against them.
Being "above the fray " never got anyone elected, and unless you get elected , it doesn't matter what you would have done about anything!I wish more Dems woyuld be street fighters!
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SharonAnn Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 08:49 PM
Response to Original message
4. Why you protect your pedophile friend, never mind the congressman?
Sorry, but people who sexually abuse "under-age" boys need to be treated and not be in a position where they have a lot of leeway to "take it a bit too far".

Getting rid of the GOP congressman is a worthy cause and there may be collateral damage.

But getting rid of the man who "takes it a bit too far" with "under-age boys" is a requirement.

There are no options here. You must do everything you can to prevent future children from being victimized. You must! It is your responsibility as an adult. And, depending on the state you're in, you can be considered an accessory if you don't take action and report it. Florida is one of those, I believe.

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ayeshahaqqiqa Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 08:49 PM
Response to Original message
5. If you have evidence that would hold up in court
that this person is soliciting sex or making sexual advances towards underage boys, he should be reported. I would say this even if he were working for a Democratic congressman. If you don't have evidence, there's not much you can do, imho. Look for corruption/incompetance on the part of his boss. Especially if it deals with the troops or veteran's issues. I live in a safe Republican district (even Bill Clinton couldn't win the Congressional seat here when he ran for it), and I've noticed how the locals are getting fed up with how the troops are being treated.
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Parisle Donating Member (849 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 08:56 PM
Response to Reply #5
7. I understand the issue of "evidence"
--- Unfortunately, it would not be very difficult to obtain.
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progressoid Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 08:53 PM
Response to Original message
6. It is possible to solve this without resorting to "dirty politics"
If he is pedophile, he needs to be stopped. That's the important thing. Bringing down a RWer shouldn't be part of it. Most likely this will become a political issue regardless, but it shouldn't be the motivating factor. Save the kids.
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Silence Dogood Donating Member (215 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:11 PM
Response to Original message
9. You are breaking the law
If you know a pedophile is molesting a child and do not report it.
you become complicit in the crime.
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Jack Rabbit Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:13 PM
Response to Original message
10. Don't ask me for advice on this one
You're the one who will have to live with yourself afterwards, not me.

Are you concerned about your firend? Really, that should be the tantamount consideration here. It's certainly harmful to other people and, all other things being equal, I'd be inclined to turn him in.

That's easy for me to say in cyberspace. I'm not in this situation.

Have you ever thought he may be harming himself? Have you ever spoken him about his nasty habits? It would help if you have.

He is probably aware that you desire to see his client defeated, and he'll always wonder, if you turn him in or set him up or what ever, if that isn't the reason you did it. Since you're asking this question in a political forum, guess what I think. I think that it would be a betrayal of a confidence for political gain, a private citizen with hopes of bringing down a public you find obnoxious by ratting on your friend. Can you say Linda Tripp?

Nevertheless, you have indicated that his sins are not as venial as Bill Clinton's. That adds a completely different dimension to the matter. But you give little hint in your post that it is your concern and every indication beating a right wing congressman who might very well win re-election any way is.


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Zenlitened Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:41 PM
Response to Original message
14. I'm not sure I understand the issue here...

Is it "outing" someone's sexual orientation?

Or is it reporting child sexual abuse?

:shrug:

Why present this as a "gay issue," so to speak, and then slip in the underage sex issue almost as an aside?

Why would it be a severe problem if the voters knew this man is gay... rather than if they knew he was having sex with minors?

So many questions... :eyes:

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pitohui Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-21-07 09:54 PM
Response to Original message
16. i have no advice having been there
Edited on Sat Apr-21-07 09:54 PM by pitohui
i also had personal information on a nazi (not a gay nazi but his addiction was just as serious and unbreakable as a sexual orientation) and in the end because of the code of people in my in group i didn't reveal it

i honestly don't know

i feel the right thing to do is to expose the hypocrite but sometimes the code of your in group is you do not tell

as you say i have dropped hints on line but if people won't take the hint is it my job to destroy this person at a cost of destroying the feeling of security of my entire community?

i don't know, i am in favor of outing hypocrisy but in practice it is not so easy...

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