Kolbe... (my rare rant against a small handful of fellow leftists)

[Infinite Hope]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2006/10/trandahl_names_.html

There's nothing worng with them spending time with pages outside of work. That's part of being a mentor which is what they're supposed to be under the page program. Even if the pages were often gay, it may be that those pages intentionally reached out to a gay congressman like Kolbe to learn how to deal with being in politics while being gay. There's absolutely nothing wrong intrinsically with that.

I'm offended by a few of my fellow leftists jumping on it as if they're now the moral police, insulting actions that are in no way immoral or wrong on the face. As if we've been so dogged by the moral-police-Republicans that we're seizing at any opportunity to condemn a Republican and position ourselves on the top of the moral police heirarchy. There are plenty of reasons to jump on Republican morals. Don't jump unnecessarily and prematurely without any concrete basis. That is an injustice.

We don't know Kolbe did anything wrong. For all we know, he was being a mentor to those interested in politics and may have been a rare and legitimate mentor especially for those who were gay and questioning how to reconcile their sexuality with their desire for a political career.

[FARAFIELD]

1. Your Rare RANT?

OK

[Infinite Hope]

4. Yes

There are 2 things I've primarily complained about:
1)Lack of volunteering
2)Prematurely jumping on actions before there's evidence of wrongdoing. It's an injustice and it doesn't reflect well on Democrats to be doing the exact thing we chastise Republicans for.

[brook]

2. "As if we've been so dogged by the moral-police-"

Pray tell, where have you been for the past 20 years or so?

Ya know...you can be offended to hell and back for all I care. Let them 'mentor' during office hours. It is/was impossible that Foley's Follies were not well known. The party of responsibility, moral superiority and their enablers need to fess up, repent and get out of the way.

[Infinite Hope]

3. "As if dogged...."

By that I didn't mean it weren't true. I meant "As if BECAUSE we've been dogged...." Meaning, we're taking out our aggression by being quick on the trigger.

During office hours, the congresspersons are too busy to spend any time with pages/interns. I've been there. Don't prejudge. There is nothing wrong with a congressman taking people under their wing if there is no improper conduct. Kolbe may have acted improperly, we don't know yet. My point is that we have no evidence of it so it's wrong to claim he was acting wrongfully merely by having contact with a page or even a constituent for that matter outside of business hours. Quite the opposite is true. Congresspersons SHOULD have contact with constituents and mentor those interested in politics.

I've had outside-hour talks with both congresspersons I interned for. Long discussions about politics and shooting the breeze on private property. There's nothing wrong with that. It's networking, it's being engaged with those you represent, it's being down-to-Earth. Such interaction in and of itself is right and good.

[brook]

6. I'll give you

that honest mentoring is a fine concept. I have a hard time with the reality of Congressman crossing lines.
The guidelines and practices should be clear and above reproach. Kolbe's statement was not terribly convincing. Under the circumstances, I'd prefer it if he wasn't so coy.

Your experience may have been pristine and educational. Apparently, that hasn't always been the case.

And, frankly, after seeing what the Moral Majority/PNAC has wreaked on this country, I'm not in the mood to cut them much slack.

[Infinite Hope]

7. ...

One isn't cutting Rove's gang slack by allowing Kolbe to be innocent until proven guilty. One would simply be living by the rules Democrats have so long stood by.

[karlrschneider]

9. Foley and Kolbe are not the same person.

...

[knowledgeispwr]

5. Valid

This is a valid opinion. So far, we don't know that Kolbe did anything wrong on this camping trip, so we shouldn't be quick to judge, IMHO.

[karlrschneider]

8. Standing for the rule of law and "innocent until proven guilty" is not PC

here on DU much lately. And that's a shame. There's as much hypocrisy around here recently as on any wingnut site. Obviously instigated by infiltrating freepers, though. Uh huh.

[Infinite Hope]

10. Amen to that....

The vast majority of DUers are reasonable. There are a few though who are just as reactionary and extreme on our side as those on the other side. And they mean well. They just get so passionate that they react rather than think+act.