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June 23, 2004
UNENGAGED BRAINS
I spent the first third of my professional life in politics, surrounded by politicians. I got to know some of them, even a few of their families. I got to know the scene in Washington, and the people who spend their days -- and often nights and weekends -- working for the people of the United States of America. I got to know a few of them quite well, actually. And so I am generally defensive when it comes to politicians.
Yeah, some of them are flat out dangerous and evil people - Tom DeLay and Dick Cheney come to mind. But most of them, even the ones I disagree with, are good people with whom I just happen to disagree. And nothing cheeses me off worse when some uninformed Joe SixPack dismisses Washington and all forms of politics with a judgmental wave of the hand and the line, "Ahh, politicians are all crooked." To me, that's just a cop-out -- an excuse for not getting involved in one's government or for even paying attention to the news, or a flimsy justification for an inordinate amount of complaining while doing nothing about it.
Are some politicians crooked? Yep. Without question. But you know what? Some cops engage in brutality; some teachers and principals have kiddie porn on their home computers; and some businessmen bilk their shareholders out of billions of dollars. Yet we don't dismiss other entire professions on the actions of a few. Perhaps only lawyers are maligned as much as politicians - for reasons that more often have to do with laziness on the part of their accusers.
That said... every now and then, politicians - even those I consider the good ones - do something so stupid that even I just shake my head and say, "What the hell were you thinking?" Today's Washington Post provided me with one such occasion.
It seems that about three months ago, several members of Congress - of both parties, but apparently more Democrats than Republicans - showed up at a Capitol Hill reception honoring the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. You know, the cult leader who marries 7,000 couples at a time who met approximately an hour earlier... the guy who's done time for tax fraud and obstruction of justice... the guy who's called homosexuals "dogs"... you know, the one who's one step up from Jim Jones? Yes, that guy.
At this reception, Rev. Moon (who happens to own Washington's right-wing newspaper, the Times) proclaimed himself the Messiah. Moon said he had been "sent to Earth... to save the world's six billion people... Emperors, kings and presidents... have declared to all Heaven and Earth that Reverend Sun Myung Moon is none other than humanity's Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent." Additionally, Moon was crowned at the reception. Yep, crowned. Wearing white gloves, Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)carried the ornate crown on a pillow before it was placed on Moon's head.
Worse yet, Moon proclaimed himself to be in spiritual contact with the 20th century's worst, most evil butchers. At the March 23 event, he said: "The founders of five great religions and many other leaders in the spirit world, including even Communist leaders such as Marx and Lenin... and dictators such as Hitler and Stalin, have found strength in my teachings, mended their ways and been reborn as new persons."
Okay, so upon seeing and hearing this bizarre spectacle, what did the Congressional attendees do: a)leave the reception as soon as the notorious Moon appeared in the room; b) stay out of formality, but walk out on the perverse ceremony as soon as Moon began his Messianic rantings; c) stand up to confront Moon when he claimed to have impacted Hitler's spirituality; or d) stay for the whole thing and say nothing at all to anyone until the press uncovered the details - and then claim to have been misled about the event?
If you chose "d," you win the grand prize.
The list of members of Congress who were there and who let this pass for three months spans both parties. How no one stood up to this bizarre, sick, perverse idiot and repudiated him on the spot is simply beyond me. Rep. Davis should be recalled for his role in the affair. And sadly, a Senator I considered a good man, Senator Mark Dayton (D-Minnesota) was there too.
I've given money to Dayton's campaign. I get the mass-mailed holiday card every year. I've supported him since his candidacy for the Senate began. And I'm infuriated that he showed up at this thing, much less kept silent. Now, Dayton's spokesperson claims that the Senator was "duped" and that he thought he was honoring a constituent who was receiving a peace award. I've got two problems with that spin.
First of all, why would you attend an event featuring Sun Myung Moon in the first place? What possible credibility did you attach to an award being handed out by the King of the Moonies? Secondly, if you really were duped, Senator, and didn't know Moon would be there... why'd you stay? And since you stayed, how on earth could you remain silent when Moon proclaimed himself the Messiah? How about when he claimed spiritual solidarity with Hitler and Stalin?
Dayton won't ever get another dime of my money. Not because he showed up at the event - I know DC well enough to understand that he may have been scheduled there by some 22 year old office manager who had no idea what he/she was getting the boss into. No, I'm going to disassociate with Dayton because he stayed at the event, and remained silent both during the event and after - until the press got a hold of it.
At least Dayton is offering an ostensibly noble reason for attending in the first place, flawed though his logic might be. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R-MD) says he knew that Moon would be there - but the Republican attended the event to show support for the Washington Times, that raggedy semblance of a newspaper that Moon owns. Bartlett doesn't even have enough shame to hide the fact that he knew Moon would be there; he freely admits that no matter how loony the ideas someone espouses, if the loony is on the right wing, Bartlett will be there for him. You know what? Lyndon LaRouche runs as a Democrat. If he holds a reception and I am a Congressman and am invited to attend, I don't give a rat's ass what papers LaRouche may own - I'm not showing up. What a slimy toadstool that guy is! The citizens of Maryland must be proud of their automaton Congressman who is so eager to march in lockstep with all things conservative that he'll show up for a reception honoring a cult leader.
The list of other attendees at this reception includes Walter Fauntroy (former DC delegate to Congress) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), as well as Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) (who spoke at the reception!), Dayton and Bartlett.
There they are, kids: the members of Congress who remained silent while a cult leader proclaimed himself the Messiah. This time, you won't find me defending politicians; say whatever you want about these bozos. They've earned it.
