For the last couple of days I have felt physically ill when I’ve thought of the shootings in Pennsylvania and the whole Mark Foley deal. When I think about those poor children in Lancaster my eyes fill up with tears, and when I think about Mark Foley my blood pressure shoots up to about 490 over 380, so I probably shouldn’t think about him for very long lest my heart explode.
Normally I don’t mention anything to do with politics on my blog because, well, who really cares what I think? There are all sorts of pundits on TV and on the internet who can weigh in sixty five times a day on eleventy billion issues, so my two cents is pretty much worth, you know, nothing.
But I do want to say something about the Mark Foley stuff and then I’ll never mention him on this blog again. And keep in mind that I’m just venting. VENT-ING. Because it’s my blog and I can.
So. Here I go.
When a clergyperson or parent or teacher or coach or political figure or whathaveyou uses his or her power and influence and authority to interact inappropriately with a minor – whether it’s by instant messaging or emailing or engaging in activities that are far worse and far more emotionally scarring than anything I care to put into words – then that person should go to jail.
Not rehab. Not counseling. JAIL.
Because the exploitation of children and teenagers is disgusting, it’s reprehensible, and IT IS CRIMINAL.
Congressman Foley says he was abused as a teenager by a clergyman and that while the abuse is (obviously) not the reason why he acted inappropriately with young boys, it is the reason he’s been plagued by shame for many years. I can’t imagine enduring something so horrific, and my heart really does go out to him for suffering as he must have done and as he must continue to do.
No one should ever have to endure such abuse.
No one deserves it, no one asks for it, no one chooses it. Period. As a survivor of abuse, Congressman Foley should know that better than anyone.
And I think that’s my biggest problem with the whole ordeal: Mark Foley DOES know firsthand the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional torment that victims of inappropriate relationships have to endure – and for him to PERPETUATE that? For him to POLITICIZE that? And then for other people to remain silent – even though they knew that he’d targeted young boys – because they were afraid THEY’D LOSE A SEAT IN CONGRESS?
It’s deplorable.
Because while Mark Foley’s career may be ruined, his victims’ lives will be forever affected by his behavior. But as far as I can tell, very few of Congressman Foley’s colleagues – on either side of the aisle – seem to be as concerned with the victims as they are with spinning this scandal as a means to a political end.
And that, my friends, is a travesty in and of itself.
It makes me sick.
It makes me angry.
And it breaks my heart – for the victims and for their families.
I’m done now.
I don’t feel any better.
But I’m done.
Amen. All the news over the last week has made me feel sick several times. If children are getting shot in an Amish school, are we safe anywhere?
All I can say is may God have mercy on this country.
“All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing.” -Edmund Burke…Kudos for taking a public stand……
Ditto! Amen! I could not have said it better!
For what it’s worth, I agree wholeheartedly, BooMama. The Westside School, Jonesboro, Arkansas shooting took place less than 10 miles from my apartment and I knew one of the girls who was shot pretty well, and some of the others distantly. Unless this country turns back to God in a big way, I fear it will only be worse for the generations who are coming up today. Sad…
I’ve been hugging my kids and praying over them like crazy the past week. God’s probably about ready to write-“I’ve got it already!” in the steam on the bathroom mirror so I will stop.
Can I get an Amen?
Amen and Amen. The Pennsylvania shooting has really gotten to me. I plan to post an address soon where we can hopefully all mail cards to the families. They really need Christians in the “outside world” to reach out to them.
None of this is making me want to let my children go . . .
We live close to the Wedgewood Baptist Church where the shooting was several years ago, and I remember telling Pace that if we aren’t safe in our own churches, are we anywhere? Other than trusting God to hold onto my kids, I’m at a loss to know what else I can do.
Here! Here! I promise not to launch into a soapbox tirade here, BUT…
I sit on the board of a children’s home and the stories of what these children have endured (usually from family members or boyfriends of their mothers) are unbelievable. I think it is very important for those of us who live comfortable, “safe” lives to not seal ourselves off in such a bubble that we lose touch with the fact that there is EVIL in this world and we are desperately in need of a Savior. “Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children.” Lamentations 2:19
Thank you, Lord, that this is not our home!
I promised I was not going to get on a soapbox, so I will stop typing before I get into what I have learned about politics/politicians as we’ve tried to get things done at the state level.
Well said! I agree!
It is one of those times I am proud to say that I did NOT vote for him…not that I can vote being the holder of a green card and not a citizen, but that is beside the point!
As long as we fail to hold people responsible for their actions we are encouraging others to act on their baser (and often misguided and sometimes even criminal) instincts.
I think it is time to call for personal accountability for everyone, including, and maybe especially, those who serve as role models! And even politicians…..
K
((HUGS)) Thank you for not being afraid to speak your mind.
Yes! You nailed it.
Thanks Boomama, as a victim I appreciate your truth. It is mine as well.
Amen again. What makes me so mad is that he wasn’t “sorry and seeking help” until he was “outed”. It appears he’s not sorry that he did such sick things, but that he got CAUGHT. And like you said Boo, with his supposed past abuse, he should know better than anyone what damage he was doing. But to politicize it all is BEYOND the pale. Ooohhhhhh!!!!!
And the Amish shootings make me so sad I cannot even stand to think about it. (Melanie, I think that posting an address to send cards of support is a great idea. I would love to see that gentle community showered with Christian love.)
as a victim of sexual abuse, i find mr. foley’s EXCUSES to be offensive. i don’t molest children because it’s wrong. it doesn’t matter what happened to me as a child.
mr. foley needs to grow up and be a man. he needs to take responsibility for his criminal behavior.
and for those who are attempting to cover his crime, they should be strung up by their toes.
Really well said, Boo Mama. It all makes me sick too. I hate hearing it all ‘spun’ on the radio, have to turn it off…
Jenny in Ca
I agree wholeheartedly.
So I ask, out of respect and concern for your nation, what are you going to do about it? Not only you the individual, but you the country. The US is your home and the citizens are your neighbors. You are in the most powerful nation in the free world, based on democrasy and the power of the people.
When do we (I include myself and my country) make people responsibile and accountable, especially those we elect? When that happens, maybe they’ll think twice.
When I think of the people suffering in Africa, etc, with really no place or no one one to turn to, I find our lack of “doing anything about it” so shameful!
I guess that’s my soapbox. The Lancaster shooting makes me crazy – those tiny girls. And the Congressman – he makes me want to puke.
I absolutely agree – totally. I get so enraged when these injustices go unpunished. In our Bible Study today Beth Moore spoke about Daniel’s vision of God as the Ancient of Days. She said that means that from the first day of creation to the end of time, He sits as judge. No evil goes unnoticed nor will it go unpunished. When we see people apparently getting away with horrific crimes, we can be comforted by the knowledge that the Ancient of Days is seated on the throne.
Absolutely, unequivocally, Amen. I couldn’t have said it better myself. I can barely stand to turn the TV on, I’m so sick of all the spin. Put.him.in.jail. Forever.
I agree the whole Foley situation makes me sick, on so many levels. It isn’t right and he should go to jail.
I am not the politico in my family, but I have listened to my hubs in one respect. V.O.T.E. Everyone needs to do it, everyone needs to encourage others to do it. If you don’t like the way your congressman, senator, gov., etc behave…vote ’em out!
Don’t forget to vote on November 6th!
I completely agree with you, with one possible exception. We do have to have compassion. I want him in jail, but being sickened without compassion for what he went through is wrong. People who do these things are sick, they have been victimized, and they really do not have very much in the way of options to get help. It is shameful to even be the victim, and if you don’t get help, and you don’t have God, even when you do have God, you can easily get stuck in the pit the evil one has lain for you. He’s living in a pit of hell. I believe he wished he would get caught so it would end. I believe he felt horrid all the time. I believe he needs compassion, as well as jail time.
But for the grace of God any of us could be caught up in a horrid pit of darkness and destruction not knowing how to make it stop. Not one drop of the Savior’s blood for his sins is more painful than the drops of blood for our sins, even if they are “just gossip” or whatever. Every sin has the same price, and we all need to keep our eyes on that. Jesus pointed that out to me years ago, and that is what saved my marraige. I’m no more worthy than the worst murderer, yet my savior died for me, AND that murderer.
Apparently, I’ve missed some news. I knew about Foley’s criminal behavior, but the excuse I heard was that he suddenly realized he was an alcoholic and would be seeking counseling. He’s one sick individual, for sure, but he committed a crime for which there is no excuse. Yes, compassion is called for, but so are consequences.
As for the shooting in Pennsylvania, all I can say is “Come quickly, Lord Jesus!”
I totally agree. I was sexually abused as a child, and while I have compassion for him and his pain-I also realize that his own victimization is no excuse for what he has done. And I really feel frusterated at the lie that seems to be perpetuated here that “since he was abused he couldn’t help but be abusive” This is not true and I refuse to be okay with seeing someone use that in any way as an excuse.
He can and should be able to get all of the counseling that he wants—from jail.
I certainly didn’t use his abuse as an excuse, just said we shouldn’t be judgemental and hateful. I clearly said he should go to jail. But, it has come to light that what the “other side” is saying is not true, he did not do this with a 16yo, he emailed with an 18yo, there was no cover-up, he was chastized for being inappropriate, and when he was inappropriate again, he resigned. There was no crime committed. So, here are Christians frying him without the facts. There is no crime for him to be jailed over. If it had been a 16yo, I absolutely agree that he should be made to pay the penalty. I don’t know who this guy is, I don’t even know what office he held. So I am not a supporter of his, I am a supporter of facts and truth.
What I abhor seeing is the opposing side using the lies about what really happened to advance their own careers. There is even one politician that still uses the commercial stating the lies even after the facts have come out. She KNOWS she is spreading lies to get votes.