Ode to Sam Adams.
Great men (and women) are allowed to make mistakes. They are allowed to screw up and ask for forgiveness and receive just that. I'm not talking about the mistakes of wire-taping or selling senate seats, I'm talking about things that don't involve politics and maybe even love.
If you run on a platform of family values and your 17 year old daughter gets knocked up, then yes your 'personal' life deserves a little bit of scrutiny because you're base of values is hypocritical.
However, cheating on wives and illicit affairs of that nature I do not think are worthy of punishment in the public light. That is something to be dealt with by the spouses and the courts should it go that route. It is not for us to judge or punish, but the job of the one being betrayed. (Example: Bill Clinton.)
Our nation is so caught up on vilifying people that we lose sight of what we're really looking for. We need to reach for the light; creating villains out of heroes isn't what we need; we need to believe in something more.
Furthermore, if you are a 45 year old gay man and you choose to engage in a relationship with a young intern and thus making it a sexual relationship when this teen turns 18, that is your business and not the public's.
So, I understand the lies. I understand that our great men and women have to lie about their personal lives or face the judgment of obstinate viewers. People bitter about their own lives that they just can't live and let live.
If great men and women know that they will face the retribution for being open and honest about their lives, they will lie. Judgment should not be placed upon them when their personal lives do not interfere with their public persona. If great men and women live in fear of speaking up, for fear that they will loose it all, then we as a society can never be great.
If they can recognize their mistake and make valid improvements from that, then shouldn't that be all that we ask for?
Sam Adams is a good man, I would say that he is a great man. He personifies the attitude that Portland, Oregon needs and he stands for hope and the possibility of grand things to come. He doesn't deserve our criticisms for his taste in men, that sort of talk is not only petty but something adolescents discuss in the hallways during break. Sam Adams had a relationship with a teen, a consenting 18 year old adults who chose to act as an adult and also allow this to go on.
People fall in love with their superiors all the time, its almost like a parent to child-esque relationship and something that we all crave little when looking for a partner. Additionally, we can not help who we fancy and while we can (to a certain extent) control how we go about with daily interactions, the point is there, the attraction is there. Love is something we shouldn't run from and as long as it is gone about in a way that isn't harmful to any individuals then it shouldn't be the concern of others.
We lie to protect ourselves. Only his lie wasn't malicious and it was a fair assessment of how he perceived it would be taken. We've proven his point as to why he lied to begin with. His fear of retribution, of how this picture must look to the public gave way to a lie. A lie which is not indicative of his leadership or mistakes to come. He screwed up and he has come forward, he has asked for mercy and he should be granted just that.
Sam Adams is our mayor and if we can look beyond, if we can believe in the dream he has spoke of then we can see great things. Greatness isn't perfection, perfection belongs to god. Greatness is the ability to be humble, to have humility, to rise up to the challenge. We must persevere for if we allow ourselves to be held up, to hold on to every insignificance we find, then that is when we fail.
Save our Mayor and stand up for Sam Adams. Greatness involves us all.
So I beseech you, find mercy and give grace. Be compassionate and discover true greatness.
If you run on a platform of family values and your 17 year old daughter gets knocked up, then yes your 'personal' life deserves a little bit of scrutiny because you're base of values is hypocritical.
However, cheating on wives and illicit affairs of that nature I do not think are worthy of punishment in the public light. That is something to be dealt with by the spouses and the courts should it go that route. It is not for us to judge or punish, but the job of the one being betrayed. (Example: Bill Clinton.)
Our nation is so caught up on vilifying people that we lose sight of what we're really looking for. We need to reach for the light; creating villains out of heroes isn't what we need; we need to believe in something more.
Furthermore, if you are a 45 year old gay man and you choose to engage in a relationship with a young intern and thus making it a sexual relationship when this teen turns 18, that is your business and not the public's.
So, I understand the lies. I understand that our great men and women have to lie about their personal lives or face the judgment of obstinate viewers. People bitter about their own lives that they just can't live and let live.
If great men and women know that they will face the retribution for being open and honest about their lives, they will lie. Judgment should not be placed upon them when their personal lives do not interfere with their public persona. If great men and women live in fear of speaking up, for fear that they will loose it all, then we as a society can never be great.
If they can recognize their mistake and make valid improvements from that, then shouldn't that be all that we ask for?
Sam Adams is a good man, I would say that he is a great man. He personifies the attitude that Portland, Oregon needs and he stands for hope and the possibility of grand things to come. He doesn't deserve our criticisms for his taste in men, that sort of talk is not only petty but something adolescents discuss in the hallways during break. Sam Adams had a relationship with a teen, a consenting 18 year old adults who chose to act as an adult and also allow this to go on.
People fall in love with their superiors all the time, its almost like a parent to child-esque relationship and something that we all crave little when looking for a partner. Additionally, we can not help who we fancy and while we can (to a certain extent) control how we go about with daily interactions, the point is there, the attraction is there. Love is something we shouldn't run from and as long as it is gone about in a way that isn't harmful to any individuals then it shouldn't be the concern of others.
We lie to protect ourselves. Only his lie wasn't malicious and it was a fair assessment of how he perceived it would be taken. We've proven his point as to why he lied to begin with. His fear of retribution, of how this picture must look to the public gave way to a lie. A lie which is not indicative of his leadership or mistakes to come. He screwed up and he has come forward, he has asked for mercy and he should be granted just that.
Sam Adams is our mayor and if we can look beyond, if we can believe in the dream he has spoke of then we can see great things. Greatness isn't perfection, perfection belongs to god. Greatness is the ability to be humble, to have humility, to rise up to the challenge. We must persevere for if we allow ourselves to be held up, to hold on to every insignificance we find, then that is when we fail.
Save our Mayor and stand up for Sam Adams. Greatness involves us all.
So I beseech you, find mercy and give grace. Be compassionate and discover true greatness.