{"id":9039,"date":"2008-03-11T14:12:10","date_gmt":"2008-03-11T19:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2008\/03\/11\/spitzer-maybe-name-is-destiny\/"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:53:31","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:53:31","slug":"spitzer-maybe-name-is-destiny","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2008\/03\/11\/spitzer-maybe-name-is-destiny\/","title":{"rendered":"spitzer: maybe name is destiny"},"content":{"rendered":"

T<\/em><\/strong>he f\/k\/a<\/em> Gang has been trying pretty hard to be less judgmental lately. But, today, I really want to scream out my contempt for New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, in the wake of news of his ongoing consumer-level participation in a high-priced prostitution ring. (see coverage at NYT<\/em><\/a>, and this Daily Gazette<\/em> editorial<\/a>, March 11, 2008) Although I voted for the man, I’ve used this weblog in the past to point out his bloated ego and arrogance<\/a>, and his need to demonstrate less IQ and more EQ<\/a>. Instead of justifiable rage, I think I’ll try<\/em> a little humor and a wee bit of social studies philosophy.<\/p>\n

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First a tired smile over Surname Destiny:<\/em> Little did we know when we pointed out<\/a> the meaning of the German word “spitze<\/em><\/a>” two years ago — “pinnacle, but also a sting or a prick<\/em>” — that we were wading into the deep waters of both destiny and double-entendre. No need to elaborate.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

But, speaking of destiny, veteran columnist, curmudgeon, and hound of hypocrisy, Carl Strock of the Schenectady Daily Gazette<\/em> (who we spotlighted here<\/a>) had the very good luck to have scheduled the launch of his brand new weblog Strock Freestyle<\/a><\/em> for today. In his very first posting, titled “Spitzer’s downfall<\/a>,” Carl reminds us:<\/p>\n

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\"StrockCarl\" <\/font><\/font><\/font>“we are talking not about succumbing to temptation in a moment of weakness, like maybe catching the eye of a good-looking hooker while sitting alone in a cocktail lounge. We\u2019re talking about very careful scheming over a period of time.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

That’s a great lead-in for my little Post-Spitzer-Prostitution Social Studies Lecture:<\/p>\n

. . . An Open Letter to Politicians & Candidates<\/em> and their Spinners . . .<\/p>\n

I am already sick of hearing the apologists for Eliot Spitzer — like his old Harvard Law Professor and criminal defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz<\/a> this morning on WAMC.org — and those who made all the same noises when Bill Clinton was caught with his pants down. We understand what it is like to have strong sexual urges and to be tempted. However, neither sin nor sexual liberation is the point.<\/p>\n

The point is this: If you are going to come forth and ask for the responsibility of leadership (and, especially if you are pointing out your virtues or your virtuous, reformist goals for better government), you need to keep your spitze<\/em><\/a> in your trousers in any situation where that zipper is expected by reasonable members of the public to be zipped. That goes double when laws (even silly old ones) are being broken, but it includes all situations where your behavior is likely to<\/p>\n