there is another aspect to the Weiner scandal.... and it is cultural

[nadinbrzezinski]

This is purely an observation... but how you react to the "scandal" really depends on WHERE you live. I suspect the North east, where he comes from, and the other coast, the left coast (the counties close to the sea let's be honest here) will react differently to this... than the heart of the country.

This is a cultural difference. For me... (yes I live in the land of fruits and nuts), I could care less, But I do recognize once again how this is very much a dramatic difference in culture.

While the media will froth at the mouth over these things... realize that we are also seeing the cultural differences in the country...

I am not going to say this is more or less evolved, or more or less grown up... but how people react I suspect it will also be... WHERE you live, and the culture you live in. And we have many different cultures.

[Never Stop Dancin]

1. Fail.

[Incitatus]

2. No, it's a good point,. nt

[LiberalLoner]

10. I agree, I think it is a good point. I think there are most certainly different

cultures within the country. I have lived all over the U.S. because I grew up as an Army brat, was in the Army and now married to Army. So you better believe I've moved around.

There is a big difference between, say, rural Georgia and NYC. There is a big difference between Montana or the Dakotas, and California. There is a big difference between Montana and Georgia, for that matter.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. How? I am curious

[Zoeisright]

5. Fail yourself. And grow up.

Getting your panties in a twist over someone else's sex life is very puritanical. And immature. But only when that person has NOT been a hypocrite, preaching "morals" to the rest of us while acting like an asshole on the side. Like: Ensign, Sanford, Gingrich, Craig, Vitter, and all the other holier than thou repukes.

[seabeyond]

17. ignoring the real issues and whining about panties being in a twist is "grown up" how? nt

[Maraya1969]

28. Oh it was just a figure of speach. Get over yourself.

[seabeyond]

36. ha... funny. nt

[butterfly77]

22. These people in other parts of the country...

like to pretend that they are somehow different or better. They do the same damn thing and worse.

They also seem to think that they really are the bible belt and that people in the northeast or other parts of the country don't believe in God and that they are the ones who need to tell everyone how to believe.

Don't believe the media hype,they know nothing they go talk to certain segments of the country and then report that this is what everyone in that area thinks.

They judge everyone when they themselves,have affairs,are liars and thieves, have sex,see prostitutes,get abortions,take drugs,smoke marijuana,and a large majority are pedophiles,and I could add more...

[seabeyond]

24. damn... "these people". no judgement on your part with all "these people". hey

why dont you lecture "these people" a little more on sactimonous, holier than thou, bullshit.

[butterfly77]

35. I am...

not ALL but those who the media pretend to speak for all,did I hit a nerve?

[seabeyond]

37. not even. what i heard was a lot of bigoted hateful language as you lecture

on sanctimonous bullshit... pure hypocrisy.

[butterfly77]

61. That is what I hear from..

THESE PEOPLE evidently you are one of them, are you claiming to be one of the people. I don't recall naming you personally..

Lecture my ass! or is it that YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!You are mighty upset so I guess you are one of these hypocritical,sanctimounous people who want to tell everyone who and how to pray to whatever God they want,what they can and cannot do with their own bodies,etc...,THESE PEOPLE seem to believe that they are moral authority and it is their way or the high way.

There is usually a small majority who the media tries to pretend speaks for all in whatever area of the country it may be. As far as I am concerned people are people no matter what part of the country they come from..

[seabeyond]

62. near hysteria.... nt

[Maru Kitteh]

98. If "people are people" why single out "these people from other parts of the country" and say

that the large majority of them are pedophiles? Where, exactly in the country are the large majority of people pedophiles who, as you claim "know nothing?"

Please educate us.

[wickerwoman]

64. Thanks for giving me the excuse to link to my favorite site:

The Seven Deadly Sins Map:

http://flowingdata.com/2009/05/12/maps-of-the-seven-deadly-sins/

The Lust map is particularly revealing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

70. WOW thanks that is great!

[Xipe Totec]

6. Your eloquence underwhelms. nt

[City Lights]

13. How so?

IMO, it's a valid point.

[villager]

46. Snarky one word replies? Yes they do -- every single time.

n/t

[Zoeisright]

3. I think you're right. Especially since, in Europe, this wouldn't even get a breath of

media attention. Unlike in the Bigot Belt (hypocrisy-central) and the antiquated Midwest. And I live in the Midwest.

Growing up is a big part of it. Also realizing what our true priorities should be. And it's about getting this country back on its feet, helping the poor, getting everyone the basic decent minimum of healthcare, reigning in the banksters and Wall Street, and taxing the fuck out of the rich.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. In Europe depends where

France and Germany... no, not really.

The UK... well there is the Profumo Affair.

The far more conservative Spain Portugal and Greece... better odds

[LiberalLoner]

14. Nowadays I don't think the UK would care. The Profumo Affair was back in the early 60's when

Britain was still very conservative in a sexual/social sense. These days, they show girls naked from the waist up on Page 3 of the news. Doubt if they'd be terribly shocked over sexting. They might gossip about it some, sure, but doubt they'd be shocked. The other countries...don't know...yeah, they are more conservative. They would probably be shocked or outraged.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. I know it was back in the 60s

They have a history... so they might have better odds... not as good as oh the 60s...

I guess it depends if the Mirror can get any traction.

[LiberalLoner]

31. Not trying to offend, was just chatting on the thread was all. Just thinking out loud, thinking

that Britain is pretty "out there" these days when it comes to sexual stuff. i was thinking of how I was pretty shocked by some stuff I heard/saw from Brits I worked with when stationed overseas. I heard some stuff that you just normally wouldn't expect to hear from most Americans, but with the Brits, it was just normal conversation.

It's very interesting to me how there are such differences between cultures, both within and outside of this country. I also am really fascinated by how cultures change over time. A lot has changed in my lifetime, so far, in the U.S.

[nadinbrzezinski]

42. No insult taken

and yes the uK has dramatically changed. I pointed to the cultural differences WITHIN the US. At times I think these things point to just how many different countries exist WITHIN the US. The fall of Empire will bring the breakdown of the US as a nation state, that is my view. They are quite frankly... like oil and water in some ways.

[LiberalLoner]

45. Oh, yes, I totally agree. Do you ever read James Kunstler's stuff? He has a blog

called "Clusterf*ck Nation" that is often posted as a link here. He has predicted that when the U.S. collapses, we will get several different nation-states out of it. He envisions one being the New England area including New York State, one being the deep south, one being California/Oregon/Washington, one being the mountain west....

I think it could disintegrate even further. It frightens me actually to think of how bad things might get. Maybe another civil war :(

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. We are already in the middle of that civil war

it is the cold phase, and yes I have... good stuff he writes. Some of this goes back 20 years among social scientists.

[Spider Jerusalem]

102. Hah

If a Member of Parliament were caught sending suggestive photos of himself via Twitter to girls young enough to be his daughters? The Sun, the Daily Mail, the Daily Express, etc would make it front page news for a week and whoever it was would be very politically damaged if he weren't forced to resign by his party.

[dkf]

12. They barely sneezed at the French guy raping the hotel maid.

[seabeyond]

19. and offended when a film maker was accused of drugging and raping and sodemizing a 13 yr old. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

55. They thought he was framed

that said, one thing they have issues with actually IS rape

[seabeyond]

57. they do not allow one of their elite rape, so they had to have a reason to excuse it. framed

was as good as a reason as they could come up with.

[dkf]

72. I thought there had been previous allegations and he was known as a groper.

Here..

Strauss-Kahn's only real problem is his behavior with women. Too pushy, he often narrowly excapes of harassment. This fault of his is well known by the media, but no one speaks about it.
...
But in front of the staff of Libération, he began with the subject of women: "Yes, I love women ... So what?" Then he imagined a scenario in which his reputation could be ruined by a false claim by "a woman ... raped in a parking lot and to whom someone promised 500,000 or a million euros in exchange for her story."

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2072205,00.html

He knew what the allegation would be...

[nadinbrzezinski]

93. Yes but I understood the framed part

given the ahem mistrust many in France have of the US... the last ten years have not helped either.

Personally I am surprised the IMF did not cashier him three years ago.

[dkf]

99. Ahh. I get where you are coming from now.

[Balbus]

8. Which cultural art are you referring to? The cock-pic or the lying to the media and country?

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. The reaction to it

I give a rat's ass about that picture... or the fact that he lied to the media. Given our society... yep, I get it.

[dkf]

11. Also...age.

Maybe even how much of a techie you are.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Yep but to those they are part of the culture

some of our states are "older" than others... and rural vs urban... we could go on.

But if I were a social scientiist or a political scientists it would be a fascinating exercise to...

1.- How much it is truly resonating outside of the ... news media New York\ Beltway crowd.

2.- If it is... I think people in MO have a larger river issue, for example... how different the reaction is to the "scandal."

Don't get me wrong in some places IT IS a real scandal... I suspect though... not in Queens.

[LonePirate]

27. Agreed! Most of the outrage is coming from old conservatives

Young conservatives (those under 25-30), I suspect are largely yawning about this. This is a media driven scandal propagated by older republicans and the salaciousness of it is keeping it in the media.

In 30 years, you will have a tough time finding anyone under 50 who hasn't posted questionable photos of themselves online or hasn't performed any online or phone sexting.

[dkf]

38. The least shocked might be 16-18 year olds.

[seabeyond]

15. wait... so your logic. his immature, juvenile behavior is more grown up than people that are angry

because his voice will be silenced and he will have to sit back submissively, losing a loud voice for dems, he validate brett whatever and will probably lose his seat when we need him.

we are the "less" evolved. and he is the grown up?

what world do you live in.

[girl_interrupted]

18. Craig, Sanford, Ensign, Vitter

None from the "left coast", none told to resign. Vitter was greeted by applause when he returned to Congress and has been re-elected. On the other hand, you have Spitzer and McGreevy (left coast) so I don't think its cultural at all. More like hypocrisy if you ask me. The "Family Values" party never seems bothered by their own...just by anyone who is a Democrat. For that reason alone, I think it's time the Democrats ought to take the same position with Weiner and use Vitter to remind the repubicans just how full of bull they really are.

[LiberalAndProud]

20. I am so totally over it.

I was angry pissed off at the stupidness of the whole thing yesterday. I never thought resignation was a good idea, and I'm 100 percent behind Weiner in his refusal to resign. Even so, now it's ho hum, so what. Is that more evolved, more grown up, or just more jaded?

Really, this is only a public story because we react to it. And boy, did we react!

Privately, I think Weiner has some 'splainin to do. His family has been publicly embarrassed, and I hurt for his daughters. Publicly, 'nuff said.

[dkf]

29. I don't think he has kids.

But if he does he will have to cope with the same explanation porn stars must have to do.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

23. I am from CT and I think he's a douchebag nt

[sabrina 1]

75. I'm from NY, well sort of, now in CA temporarily, and I think

no one should be prying into the sex lives of others. If Breitbart and his band of rightwing funded thugs had not spent months, years, going after and harassing Weiner, no one would have known. I don't LIKE what he did, but he's not my husband and I can't for the life of me understand why it's anyone else's business.

If everyone had a Breitbart gang spying and prying into their personal lives, imagine how many people we would find, neighbors etc, who are doing something similar to what Weiner was doing. It's a family matter. His wife would eventually have found out and they would have settled it within their own family.

Do we really want to live in a society where sex is viewed as shameful? As far as the lying, that only happens BECAUSE we view sex as shameful.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

104. I do agree with a lot of what you say, believe it or not. But,

do you think there is some point where someone's personal sex life crosses over into deviancy? Guess
it's one's personal belief on when that line is crossed. To me, exhibitionism, cyber in this case, crosses. And, he
didn't keep it personal, but made it public. From what I read, this fell right into their hands - following people
who followed him, talking about him online. This could be considered fair game - for either side - looking for
dirt on an opponent, couldn't it? Especially one who is disliked as much as he is.


thoughts?

[sabrina 1]

109. Well, when it comes to sex, I suppose to some people

anything other than the missionary position, AFTER marriage is the only kind of 'normal sex, so anything other than that would be crossing the line. Weiner was single when he began interacting in a sexual way with people online. True, he admits he didn't stop after he got married, but again, that is certainly not our business.

Phone sex is crossing the line to some people also. Gay sex,to others. So, it's hard to say where the line is, it probably really does depend on people's personal views and/or preferences. Is there any real norm when it comes to sex? If so, I am not familiar with it to be honest. Some people like S&M eg, to others that is deviant behavior.

Frankly I don't think we should be judging other people based on the standards of the far right. And that is what we are doing. Most liberals probably don't care about someone's personal preferences regarding sex. But we all reacted in horror at the thought that he might be 'guilty' and hoped desperately that it was not true. But guilty of what?


What if we had all just shrugged and said 'so what'? We got into a state over it because we allowed our standards to be set by Breitbart and his rightwing hypocritical, fundie friends. And so did Weiner. That's why he lied at first. What if when questioned 'is it true you are having sex with people other than your wife online', he had simply said 'yes, now I would like to take this time to speak about an important issue facing the American people'? What would they have done?

Personally I am annoyed for getting upset myself because I realize now it was not because a man was engaged in sexual activity, but because I knew how it would be viewed by the rightwing and the media. What they did, setting out to destroy someone, is far, far worse when it comes to deviant behavior, imo. I personally would like to see the end of this being used as a weapon against people in public office.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I just can't judge sex as deviant when the truth is people experiment, and always will, with sex all the time. They just don't have people peeking in their windows as he did, virtually. Now that is deviant. Peeping Toms like Breitbart give me the creeps. But that is not my reaction to Rep. Weiner. I think Greenwald's take on all of it was the best so far and I hope Weiner does not quit.

Not sure if that answers your question. And of course, it's just my opinion.:-)

[Maine-ah]

105. I'm from Maine

and I think the whole thing is a witch hunt. This was nobody's business, except for Weiner, his wife, and the consenting adult women. I still support him. He didn't do anything illegal, we'll find out about the ethics part after the investigation. But, it's sex, and sex sells. It's a distraction from the BS going on in this country. We have bigger problems than which member is tweeting/texting/emailing suggestive pics...

[fishwax]

25. I don't think the differences will be all that pronounced

I saw a poll of New York voters found that 30% thought he should resign and 18% were unsure, and that's in a heavily democratic district. When asked if he should run for mayor in light of this scandal, a majority said no.

There will be people who don't care and people who think he's sleazy in all parts of the country. The percentages of the former may be a little higher in some areas and the latter a bit higher in others--but those differences, too, will have a lot to do with political party.

[frylock]

26. i live in san diego, ca and think he's an idiot..

not a prude in the least (you're welcome to check my porn stash), and consider myself to be more progressive than most people on this board. did i mention the porn? i am having a difficult time reconciling the rationalization on this board of weiner's act over the last two weeks. you damn well know as do i that if this were a repub instead of a dem that the DU would be in total agreement over what a bonehead move this was. not saying he should resign, but let's not gloss over the fact that he tried to absolve himself by blaming others for crimes that were never committed. this guy's trust is shot imho.

for the record, my voter registration is "decline to state."

[nadinbrzezinski]

34. Idiot, of course he is

but you are not going over to the fact that he is a witch... and worst thing ever and all that.

He should understand these little cultural nuances that give us at least five major dominant cultures in the nation... with varying degrees of ... well "morality."

My voter registration is the same by the way... and some of our local pols make Weiner look like a noble prize winner... alas they have committed ACTUAL crimes

[seabeyond]

41. the idiot is what most all of du is angry about. you get that, dont you? nt

[GReedDiamond]

49. The idiot part, yes, certainly,...

...however, the worst aspect of Weiner's moral failing is giving any level of "credibility" to Andrew Breitbart.

That's the part that really pisses me off...but not enough that Weiner should resign.

That, I suppose, will be determined by the ethics investigation, and should he survive that, his next re-election bid would make the real final determination of Weiner's future.

(The idea of a "Congressional ethics investigation" considering the current bunch in Congress is a bit heavy on the irony though. Can a less ethical bunch of opportunistic shitbags and hypocrites be found anywhere else?)

Edited for clarity.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

30. Not fessing up shouldn't be tolerated in any culture. (n/m)

[marmar]

32. But even within regions, culture varies widely.

Southeast Michigan is very different from Western Michigan. The Chicagoland is very different from downstate Illinois. Upstate New York is VERY different for the NYC area etc etc etc.

[nadinbrzezinski]

44. Absolutely

short hand might be rural vs urban, but it hardly covers it

[likesmountains 52]

33. I don't really care about the pics..but I don't like the fact that he went on several liberal

leaning programs and lied about them...and I don't like that he was so dumb about his twitter and FB activities. I am a 50 + year old person , not particularly computer saavy...but even I know that you can't send pics, tweets etc. and expect them to remain private.

[LiberalLoner]

40. Yeah, I guess as much as anything I am upset that a politician we count on to do a good job,

would have such bad judgment. Just a, "how could you be so dumb?" moment. I want better than that from our politicians.

But then part of me thinks, men in power have always done stuff we might not approve of. I read all about the Kennedy family and I think what Weiner did was pretty tame compared to some of what I read. There was a time once when the media chose not to report on that stuff. But those times are long gone. The internet would expose things even if the formal media chose not to.

People have posed the question here, if we expect too much from our politicians. If we let the perfect be the enemy of the good. It's a question worth chewing on, a valid question.

[madmom]

39. I am a 57 year old grandmother from the heartland. I am so over it, I

think it's his personal business and we need to move on. As far as him lying? so me a politician who hasn't.

[robinlynne]

87. exactly.

[nadinbrzezinski]

97. Question, do you live in a rural or urban setting?

Yes it does matter about that.

And for the record I agree.

[madmom]

107. I am in the rural setting.Lots of small towns,closest big city is 50 miles away.

[REP]

43. My relatives in the Midwest are annoyed by nation being distracted from real issues by big cock

As for the big cock itself - well, nice to know our side is swinging some stick.

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. Absolutely, this brings me to the sub-text of this "story."

why are national news so DC\ NEW YORK centric? Why do they feel at times like your LOCAL news? Because they are.

I have suspected that for years and was glad Rachel actually brought that point up as well.

[LiberalLoner]

48. LOL I shouldn't laugh at that but I can't help it! n/t

[WillowTree]

51. Funny, though.

Spouses, by and large, seem to react similarly no matter where they live. Must be something about betrayal.

Why pathologically promiscuous people insist on getting married, promising fidelity and all, and then throwing it all back in their spouse's face, sometimes as brutally publicly as this, will never make one shred of sense to me.

[seabeyond]

52. well, see. you are in the midwest. just not "evolved" enough. nt

[WillowTree]

54. Nice try, I grew up in Southern California,

And as thoroughly "evolved" as the Sweds tend to be, Elin Nordegren wasn't exactly blase about Tiger's extra-curriular activities, was she?

[Name removed]

53. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nadinbrzezinski]

56. I am a snob for pointing out that THERE ARE DIFFERENT

CULTURES in the US, and that culture does determine how people react to a given event?

I guess there is a slew of political scientists, sociologists, and historians who will join me in the snob category.

[akbacchus_BC]

63. Maybe in your community, cheating and lying is a norm, it is a no no

in some societies especially when you are fucking public figure. You are representing a community and lying is a coward's way out. Jackass lied and blamed people, that is why he should resign!

[nadinbrzezinski]

66. I'll give you an extreme example

France... you know what are the chances of this so called scandal becoming a scandal? Well very near zero.

In the US there are places where this really does not matter. There are other things that are more important, like the job numbers, the Mississippi about to flood, you know minor things that affect more than the Congressman, his wife and the women involved.

Now if this reaches the level of non consenting adults \ minors... you got a point.

Being a public figure does not mean a chastity oath, or that they're better than any of us.

[akbacchus_BC]

69. Sorry, this is not fucking France, this is the US! My beef is that he lied...

All the asshole had to say, yes, I did that. When you fucking lie, you lose all your support and credibility.

America is at a fucking crossroads right now and these fuckers only care about their penises!

You have another excuse?

[nadinbrzezinski]

71. Yes and the US has more sub-cultures than France

about seven major sub-cultures, that are in some respects as different from each other as oh Paris to the Southern part of France.

As to them caring about their sex lives... I don't think they do as much as you think... the media makes you think they do.

As to the country being at a cross roads, made my peace... this country will NOT survive the fall from Empire... see that about sub-cultures... it will break down along geographical and cultural lines.

[seabeyond]

96. france also allows sexual harassment in the work force. are you really so impressed

with frances ruling class harassing, assaulting and raping women?

[Name removed]

79. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[nadinbrzezinski]

82. No I don't actually.. I am a working class shmuck

Who got lucky to go to school, and serve my community.

but if you think so... who the hell am I to correct you? That would be snobbish behavior. I usually find that people who go on line making a statement like you just did, actually believe that ... of themselves. Just saying.

[femrap]

83. same here....grew up w/

single mother and got grants to go to school.

And you are on the Left Coast looking down on the rest...

It really doesn't matter any more...

good luck.

[nadinbrzezinski]

86. Jaysus, pointing out that there are cultural

differences is NOT looking down at people... it is a FACT.

As much as the myth would like you to believe this, the US is not as unified culturally as you seem to believe it is.

[Maru Kitteh]

101. Well. Thank GOD you are here to lecture DU on US culture, and tell us what we think

and what we believe. It comes in handy for all those mornings I awake thinking I'm an Aussie drover.

[nadinbrzezinski]

103. Nobody is lecturing anybody on anything

And if you feel you are being lectured, perhaps it has to do with you, and not me.

This is not the objective and has never been the objective. And speaking of cultures... these subjects of discussion are common in the environs I move in... We like to discuss different cultures and how different cultures affect local politics as well as national politics. Perhaps this is not a subject that some on DU like to discuss... And that is about you. If you do not like these discussions I sugest you either use the ignore button, will make your life that much user friendly... or simply not click. I will continue to post OPs on things that happen to be INTERESTING TO ME. And this was brought out clearly today in the big eddie show. The cultural difference was obvious... as in strikingly obvious. Eddie is coming from a MORE conservative area of the country... and could not understand why a voter in Wieners district might be annoyed, but WILL CONTINUE to vote for him.

By the way the environs I move in are working class... yes blue collar. And yes IN THE US.

[seabeyond]

106. wait... the op can say anyone in middle of country unevolved and not grown up, but

you get deleted with saying poster is a snob? where is the reasoning in that?

[dkf]

58. Whoa...

Chill pill perhaps?

[femrap]

81. Whoa....

I'm not a horse.

But I do wish if I did take a 'chill pill' that the weather would cool off....

How I miss San Francisco's weather....damn.

[dkf]

85. Yeah I think you would benefit from taking the heat down a little.

It's not worth it. Really.

[akbacchus_BC]

59. Why is being an asshole cultural? He lied, he should have learned

to own up to his transgressions rather than lying. Seems as though we vote fuckers to represent us! He is a fucking liar and in as much as I do not agree that he should resign, he fucked up to the people who voted for him. Come on, he is not 19 years old!

Then again, the repugs always go after the Dems for the slightest misdemeanor (sp) and that is why we hold Dems to not fuck up! This is not the time to fuck up, didn't this guy ever heard of Predator with Chris Hansen?

All he had to fucking do is own up to his mistakes rather than lying! Anybody on here care to support a liar?

[nadinbrzezinski]

67. You expect purity from Pols

good luck wiht that one.

Pols lying... should really NOT be news. Again different strokes,

[akbacchus_BC]

74. Yes, I do expect Politicians to live up to their campaign promises. Why

else would I donate and try to get them elected? If one cannot believe in the person who is supposed to represent you, then why vote? Might as well stay home because nobody is representing my cause!

Sorry, I hope I have not offended you!

[nadinbrzezinski]

78. Campaign promises are public statements

this falls in the category, as icky as it is... of a private matter, UNTIL a crime is committed.

I can distinguish between the private sphere of a person's life and the public sphere. What he did, as icky as it may be, is the private sphere.

I guess you did not vote for Clinton either... another famous pol who could not keep it in his pants BEFORE he was elected for President.

But what about Vitter? That was a John with a Prostitute... we enter the realm of crime...

Sorry if I do not expect moral perfection in pols... if I did... well better start electing priests... (And we know that preachers and priests also have moral failings... in their cases it is a little more relevant... I mean that is THEIR SHTICK.

[madmom]

108. Isn't it funny how people will rant and rave about Weiner's underwear pic, but will

defend their pedophile priest and the church that helps them, until the day they die. Amazing!:eyes:

[K8-EEE]

60. Los Angeles here saying: I don't like culture of lying and

culture of YUCK!! And this is someone who a week a go thought AW was hot, LOL.

[Throd]

65. I'm in California, and I think he acted like a total putz.

But the county I live in isn't next to the sea, so my critical thinking skills might not be as finely honed as yours.

[nadinbrzezinski]

68. I guess you are living in a rural county

and it has nothing to do with critical thinking skills, but differences in CULTURE, aka the cultural milieu, and the US has MANY different cultures.. And yes he is a putz... but no crime was committed. He lied... the reaction to the whole affair is very much depending on the culture you live in.

[Throd]

73. He is as big a putz in Modoc as he is in Santa Cruz.

It isn't about the sex.

[nadinbrzezinski]

76. Alas I wish our media

decided to cover real news, and not this... it belongs between him, his wife, the women involved, and PERHAPS his constituents.

I just do not expect perfection in pols either.

Now if there is a crime... (any of these women happens to be an actual kid) when then it crosses into a crime has been committed... and law enforcement needs to get involved...

Until then... there are far more important matters and this is truly a major distraction.

But how we respond still has a lot to do with social milieu.

It is not a matter of being evolved... or not... but purely culture.

[akbacchus_BC]

80. I totally agree with you but man, when you lie, you lose all creds. He

fucked up. I hate a liar, what else will he lie about. Face it, this move by him was pathetic!

[nadinbrzezinski]

84. I keep mentioned one man by the last name of Clinton

he lied to the nth degree about Flowers.

What about Kennedy? He had lovers.

Hell, every US President, except Carter. has had a picadillo or two... we haven't heard about this one, but the track record ain't good for that...

Our media used NOT to touch any of this crap... then the cultures wars started... And we the people needs to say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.. no more of this shit. UNLESS a crime is committed that is.

Don't expect it, I hope the future country I happen to live in after the end of Empire really moves away from this crap.

[akbacchus_BC]

77. You know, it is about the lying. Didn't he know that he would have to

own his transgressions. Gawd, these politicians amaze me all the time when you least expect.

I hope he does not resign though unless the diaper boy goes!

[fujiyama]

88. Well in many ways that's true

In general, liberals and culturally more liberal parts of the country, are more forgiving of sexual indiscretions than conservative places. But that's also because there's no evident hypocrisy on Wiener's part. He's not some sort of RW, bible thumping, born again, Newt Gingrichian "preaching family values out of my ass while cheating on my cancer stricken wife", or boinkin prostitutes (aka Vitter), while denying equal rights to gay people, ass hole. Hypocrisy is one thing conservatives just don't understand (or are simply not bothered by), which is why they never bring up Giuliani, Gingrich, Vitter, Ensign, or many others and like to talk about the magical impeachable dick.

Hopefully he'll weather this. I like him as a congressperson, but I have to admit, he has little credibility left when he says he didn't have sex with any of those women. He's already proven to be an idiot and a liar for sending those photos - and then denying it when the evidence was out there...He was a really effective and outspoken spokesperson for certain policies, especially on health care reform. I fear he's drastically hurt his effectiveness and future career by this.

[nadinbrzezinski]

91. Short term he is radioactive

if he weathers this... he may come back to be an effective spokesman again.

But that also has to do with a cultural response to these matters as well.

In his district running an add pointing out his indiscretions (which somebody might run anyway) will not go well. Now insert congress critter here in a more, ahem conservative area of the country, he might be used to smear that particular pol and Liberals in general. Hell, Rush started that TODAY.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

89. I'm from NY and think he's an idiot but it's his personal life and I couldn't give a damn. He's one

of a handful of progressives and we need him.

[nadinbrzezinski]

94. Perfect example, thank you, of the cultural context

you could not give a damn, personal life. For many in other regions, and even rural regions of NYS, well they will not be as forgiving.

[brooklynite]

90. I live in Brooklyn..and I'm pissed at him.

[krabigirl]

92. I'd like to see what's in the closets of all of these so-called "journalists" frothing at the mouth.

oh, and I am from California as well..not sure if that matters why I don't give a flying f...

[nadinbrzezinski]

95. Speaking of reporters

catch big eddie talking to one of his constituents about this... he could not believe his constituent was so forgiving. You could see the culture class right on your tv.

[Blue_In_AK]

100. I'm from Alaska, and I don't care either.

Maybe it's because I lived in California when I was young. :hippie: I'm sure it rubbed off on me.