Foley a Duh

As the Times reports it: “Former Representative Mark Foley of Florida has checked himself into a rehabilitation facility for alcoholism treatment, and Republican leaders in his state were meeting today to try to find a replacement for Mr. Foley, who resigned abruptly on Friday after reports surfaced of sexually explicit communications with Congressional pages.”

So they guy likes to get tipsy and send sexy emails to kids; that’s creepy for sure, but does he send them because he drinks or does he drink because he sends them?

I’m no saint, and I hardly ever pretend to be (remember, I have tenure), but even when I’m drunk, I’m not compelled to email chat with teenagers.

So, Foley may have a drinking problem, but that doesn’t seem to his main difficulty. Perhaps instead of checking into a rehab clinic, he ought to check into a high school—that might do a better job of alleviating his fascination for youngsters.

I get tired of people blaming their character flaws on substance abuse; granted, getting loaded is apt to make the hidden parts of our personalities come out more—when I’m drunk, I’m incredibly witty and charming, after all—but it’s not the booze that puts them there…and it’s not obvious that being sober will take them away.

I think Foley’s checking into a rehab clinic is an attempt—intentional or not, I don’t know—to avoid taking responsibility for his actions: “The devil—that is, demon rum—made me do it.”

We’re supposed to feel sorry for the guy because he suffers from an illness—alcoholism—rather than feel repulsed by him because he’s a letch.

I’m not particularly moved by this appeal; to me, he doesn’t get off the hook because he’s a drinker; rather, he gets deeper on the hook because in addition to being a creep, he’s a creep who can’t hold his booze.

After all, am I to be cut slack because I wrote this sober?