I struggle with hypocrisy on a regular basis. It's anever-ending poison I try to purge from myself every day. (If andwhen I fail, let me know immediately so I can correct thesituation.)
The reason for this particular neurosis? I know that no matterthe merit of an opinion or the skill of its presentation,everything topples to the ground when it's proven to be a lie.
That happens when the individual espousing the view revealsthrough their behavior that it has little or no bearing on theirlives.
Last week, I dealt with instances of this tragic occurrencewithin the fundamentalist Christian world when religious devoteescommit unloving acts in the name of a loving God. And, of course,this kind of sad behavior is alive and well on the other side ofthe political spectrum as well.
Satirist Al Franken got plenty of free press when Fox News fileda rather frivolous lawsuit against his new book, "Lies and theLying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right."Real smart. Publicize a book that crucifies you.
I was thinking "Score one for the left!" until I heard the badnews. It came out that apparently Franken had written a fake letterfilled with lies to Attorney General John Ashcroft in which heasked for stories about Ashcroft's personal struggles withabstinence. D'oh!
Franken wrote an apology when the story broke. (Check it out:http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/frankenabs2.html) Sorry Al,but that's not enough. The sting of hypocrisy can only be healedwhen it's recognized and confessed. Then it's OK. Then you'reforgiven.
We're all pathetic hypocrites in many, many ways. The differenceis that some people recognize it and try to correct it, others knowand don't care, and still more are completely in the dark.
One of the particularly difficult elements to deal with here ismy hatred of the personal attack. And in many ways that's what I'mdoing right now with Franken. I've singled him out and identifiedan embarrassing blunder. I really don't like doing that. I take nopleasure in it. But it's necessary here.
If Franken hadn't thrown himself out into the world boldlycondemning those who bend the truth, then I wouldn't bring up hisown dishonesty. His own moral standards aren't anyone's businessexcept his own.
I enjoy taking a lot, as far as ideas and opinions go. It'sgotten to the point where ideas themselves, no matter how extreme,hateful, or offensive they might be, don't bother me that muchbecause they're an expression of someone's personal truth. But Ican't stand a lie. And that's all hypocrisy is.
Yes, I'm cautiously, unconventionally liberal -- though that'sanything but set in stone. But I still enjoy reading numerousconservative columnists. I say I'm open-minded, and I'd be ahypocrite if I didn't. I especially love the real blunt,in-your-face ones. They're a kind of a political enema -- notsomething you necessarily enjoy, but it's better that you just grityour teeth and take it.
For meaningful debate, we must not be lying liars, neither thesort that Franken's satire targets -- they who distort facts -- northose who can't be true with themselves.
Write to David at swimminginbrokenglass@yahoo.com
visit www.bsu.edu/web/dmswindle
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
