Politicians who fail morally should give up the “fall on the sword” speech. I’ve yet to see one truly repent of their moral failings without trying to make a hero out of themselves. New Jersey Governor James McGreevey’s speech today was no exception. The only sword he fell on was a rubber one that bent under the weight of his great unveiling. McGreevey’s revelations? He’s a gay American, and—by the way—he also had an extra-marital affair with a man.
After giving the stock “coming out” speech (where the person acknowledges that “there was always something different about me…”), McGreevey launched into a bizzare apologetic for his behavior:
Which master was I trying to serve?
I do not believe that God tortures any person simply for its own sake. I believe that God enables all things to work for the greater good. And this, the 47th year of my life, is arguably too late to have this discussion. But it is here, and it is now.
At a point in every person’s life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one’s soul and decide one’s unique truth in the world, not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is.
And so my truth is that I am a gay American.
Cloaked in biblical language, Mc Greevey—who paraded his wife to the lectern with him—attempts to align his struggle with truth. The problem, however, is revealed in his speech. Notice how he says that he must look into his soul and decide his own unique truth. In McGreevey’s mind, truth is whatever one decides it to be.
The irony which is so tragic for the governor is that truth is far above and independent of a person and his decisions. McGreevey, like so many other politicians with moral failings, knows all too well which master he is serving—himself.
McGreevey will undoubtedly be lauded as a hero by the homosexualist left for this bold step he has taken. And why not? This is the way McGreeley has positioned himself with this speech of contrition that was so strikingly devoid of the contrite. I imagine we’ll be seeing McGreeley again—because like the rubber sword he fell on today, he’ll be sure to bounce back.
why the obsession with trying to align gays with “the left”? why don’t we discuss the gay offspring of cheney & newt?
Anjin-San,
I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at. Most gays align themselves quite proudly and vocally with the left, and the homosexualist movement is anything but traditional or conservative. There’s no obsession here—just observation.
Jared, I’m a long time reader of your blog, and I really love your commentary on most issues. But like every good reader I don’t leave much praiseworthy feedback and only voice criticism.
I think you are being presumptuous about him being a hero to the gay community. Why is it that we Christians must point out who much more sinful than he already sees? He believes what he did was shameful. He stepped down from office. Not only that, but he recognizes the Right’s sacred cow value of one’s personal life affecting one’s public life.
I applaud him for this.
But this kind of rhetoric reveals the typical Evangelical assumption that homosexuals are filled with nothing but arrogant pride in a self-absorbed agenda. What really happened is that a man finally confronted who he was– a gay American… who was married and had an affair. He realized what the consequences.
If we believe that God works all things for a higher good (as the former governor says he believes) than maybe, just maybe God is getting a hold of his life.
Just trying to say have some compassion.
Blessings.
Adam
Correction:
“we Christians must point out who much more sinful than he already sees?”
Should read,
“we Christians must point our how much more sinful his actions were than he already sees?”
Adam,
I appreciate your comments, and your readership, but I’ll have to stand my ground and disagree. Mc Greevey’s resignation was not a voluntary act. His ex-lover was about to sue him for $5 million, so it was more damage control than contrition. McGreevey was gone whether or not resigned. He had procured a $110,000 per year state-funded job for his lover, among other things.
With regard to him being a hero to the gay community, I’m far from presumptuous—it’s already begun. If you don’t believe me, check here, here and here for some intitial reactions from the homosexualists that give McGreevey a herioc stature.
Believe me, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but I’ve been around politics (and people) long enough to know a sham when I see one. A man who brings his wife and his father to participate in his own public humiliation is not one I’m given to believe. Why not answer alone for what he was alone responsible?
Compassion warrants that justice be served, not mocked. All things do work together for good for those who love God (to correct McGreevey’s assesment of Romans 8:28), but this doesn’t mean that all situations are good. God is indeed a redeemer, but in order for something to be redeemed, it must first be lost. McGreevey, as it is, appears to stand squarely in the “lost” category. We can only pray that God moves him to the other.
McGreevey’s resignation may have been as honourable as it seems, but upon further consideration it seems slightly lacking. What he did not mention is that he hired his “mistress” to work in his office – something highly unethical (be it a man or woman), and usually illegal. I wouldn’t be surprised if his decision to resign was an attempt to deflect attention away from the legal infractions involved in the case. But I do have a cynical streak in me…
What’s a homosexualist?
Karen,
Good question—it’s a relativley new term, but it is meant to distinguish someone who practices homosexuality from those (who may or may not be homosexual themselves) who seek to promote a homosexual ideology.
Organizations like GLAAD or publications like The Advocate would fall into the homosexualist camp.