Political Forgiveness
Representative Joe Boylan has gotten himself in a big mess.
A year ago Joe passed out on the House floor and said it was a bout of flu and dehydration. Which sounded fine. And made sense. But, then, the newspapers reported Boylan, who’s married, had made “a drunken pass at a female legislator” in a Raleigh watering hole. (Several female legislators, outraged, described it more bluntly as ‘groping’). Boylan said it was all lies spread by his political enemies.
Then one night last week a highway patrolman arrested Representative Boylan for drunk driving and with no political enemies in sight he fessed up. He’s been battling a drinking problem. And, now, he’s going straight to rehab.
It’s been a tough two years for Joe Boylan but he’s not the only person in North Carolina – and probably not in the legislature – with a drinking problem and, hopefully, he’ll get his feet back on the ground and make the best of a second chance.
But what’s more interesting are Joe’s supporters’ reactions to his foibles. One group is shocked. They say they can’t support him for reelection. But another group is sticking with him. They’ve forgiven him.
But – and this is the odd thing – while they’re preaching forgiveness on one hand they’re picking up a cudgel with the other hand. And they’re swinging it at Joe’s other supporters – the ones who aren’t so forgiving.
I asked my friend, Richard, the intellectual about all this. He pondered a moment. Then said, Well, it’s pretty simple. The kind of forgiveness you get in church works like a balm. But political forgiveness works like this: Their guy gets in a mess. The way out is to ask folks to forgive him. And, then, to pick up a cudgel and attack anyone who doesn’t.
Political Forgiveness
Representative Joe Boylan has gotten himself in a big mess.
A year ago Joe passed out on the House floor and said it was a bout of flu and dehydration. Which sounded fine. And made sense. But, then, the newspapers reported Boylan, who’s married, had made “a drunken pass at a female legislator” in a Raleigh watering hole. (Several female legislators, outraged, described it more bluntly as ‘groping’). Boylan said it was all lies spread by his political enemies.
Then one night last week a highway patrolman arrested Representative Boylan for drunk driving and with no political enemies in sight he fessed up. He’s been battling a drinking problem. And, now, he’s going straight to rehab.
It’s been a tough two years for Joe Boylan but he’s not the only person in North Carolina – and probably not in the legislature – with a drinking problem and, hopefully, he’ll get his feet back on the ground and make the best of a second chance.
But what’s more interesting are Joe’s supporters’ reactions to his foibles. One group is shocked. They say they can’t support him for reelection. But another group is sticking with him. They’ve forgiven him.
But – and this is the odd thing – while they’re preaching forgiveness on one hand they’re picking up a cudgel with the other hand. And they’re swinging it at Joe’s other supporters – the ones who aren’t so forgiving.
I asked my friend, Richard, the intellectual about all this. He pondered a moment. Then said, Well, it’s pretty simple. The kind of forgiveness you get in church works like a balm. But political forgiveness works like this: Their guy gets in a mess. The way out is to ask folks to forgive him. And, then, to pick up a cudgel and attack anyone who doesn’t.