A friend whose opinions I value had some critical comments yesterday on my message to the governor which deserve a response.

Your questions to the Governor are of the “Do you still beat your wife?” ilk. Of, if addressed to you, “Do you still strangle poor little kitties?” Yes or no will be sufficient. I would have expected better from you.

Having lived through the Clinton impeachment hypocrisy (it is not about the sex, it is about the lying) it troubles me to see private behavior by public officials (even while traveling on public business) elevated to a crime, however tawdry that behavior may (or may not) be. It can” only drive some reasonably competent people from public service, leaving us with the pious incompetents, those whose personal habits are above reproach (and therefore are probably hypocrites) or who have had their
fun and reformed themselves. As the bumper sticker says, “God, protect me from your followers.” I don’t care for piety enforcement whether in the name of religion or other forms of political righteousness.

Until we know more, most of us will presume the corruption case –activities that are both illegal and immoral — has some more outrage to come, which we presume was the reason for the Governor to cut the strings to her chief of staff and loyal supporter at this time. It is really a no win situation. Hold on until there is an indictment (which is not a proof of guilt, but only an indictment also subject to
political manipulation) and you are accused virtually of harboring a felon in the name of expediency. Cut ties and you are accused of lacking of loyalty, the mother’s milk of human relationships. Do you still place ambition for higher office (or power or glory) above loyalty to those who helped you get where you are today? A yes or no answer will suffice.

I think that my friend raises legitimate issues, but I also think we’re talking past each other.

He writes: “…it troubles me to see private behavior by public officials (even while traveling on public business) elevated
to a crime…”

I’ve tried, perhaps not wholly successfully, to step around the issue of “private” behavior. I am not really interested in whether Mr. Awana had, as some suggest, an “affair” with a woman in the Philppines. Not my concern.

To paraphrase one person I spoke with recently, “there’s a difference between a couple of more people playing touch and tickle in the Philippines, and a pattern of behavior that was built into the delegation.”

If it was built into the delegation, even with a “nudge nudge, wink wink” sort of tacit understanding, my own view is that this would go beyond that boundary of private personal behavior where the operative understanding is “don’t ask, don’t tell”.

This perhaps raises another issue. Is there a point where using one’s official position to facilitate otherwise private behavior becomes an abuse of power and a matter of public ethics? I’ll have to think about that one.

My friend raises the separate matter of the Saipan corruption probe. Again, I haven’t questioned that case and it wasn’t among the questions I posed to the governor because it was being investigated and, so far, I haven’t seen or heard specific allegations about Awana or the company that he was associated with.

On the other hand, I don’t think that I agree with the implication that we should stand by our top officials unless they are convicted of a criminal offense. My sense of standards demand a bit more, especially of the state’s administrative director. Where the line should be drawn probably varies case by case.

And I don’t think the questions I forwarded to the governor are of that “when did you stop beating your wife” variety. I just want to know that basic steps have been taken to check out whether behavior that has been reported elsewhere actually occurred and, if so, whether that warrants a review of associated public policies.

Meanwhile, yesterday’s entry drew quite a few comments. I would also suggest going back to the Advertiser’s editorial about the fruits and veggies campaign published on June 28. Added to that list of things to be done could be additional policies to support farmers, large and small, producing those fruits and vegetables for fresh local consumption.

We received a small box in the mail yesterday which was an immediate hit at home. Inside were two new catnip toys procured by Meda’s sister. There were only two stuff toys and quite a few more cats, so every part of the package became part of the catnip party. The wrapping paper, tissue paper that had been inside, and the box itself all were centers of attention. I took a few quick photos if you’re interested in how catnip is received. Just click for more.