Virginia has provided the opportunity to explore two today issues. Racism and sexism.

Yesterday, I covered certain perspectives of the racism issue. Today, sexism.

I am lifting portions of the Justice Building Blog of 2/9/19. Thoughts therein are worthy of consideration.

Before quoting, accept that sexual assault in and of itself is unforgivable.

We begin.

“Can we overlook certain moral failings in leaders who otherwise are historically good? Would today’s General Eisenhower be removed from command (and banished from public service) for the revelation of an affair with a young woman on his staff? #METOO would roar about the inequities of a young aide submitting to the sexual desires of a powerful older man who is her supervisor.

And what of General Eisenhower’s superior? Would Franklin Roosevelt’s Presidential campaign have survived the revelation of his long-time affair? Would President Johnson have been able…..to shepherd the first civil rights bill through the Senate if his philandering ways had been revealed? Who would have been President in 1962 and have had the courage to stand down his generals who were advocating bombing and invading Cuba–a certain prelude to nuclear war–if candidate John Kennedy’s multiple dalliances with young women who clearly were not on equal terms of power with him had been revealed and he was forced to withdraw from the race?

Do we diminish Martin Luther King’s accomplishments because he was not faithful to his wife? Do we discount Jeffersonian democracy because Jefferson owned and slept with his slaves?

In short, if we only accept leaders who are morally perfect in every way, are we defaulting to mediocrity?…..

Who do you want landing your plane in a storm? A mediocre pilot who is faithful to his wife, or the best damn aviator the airline has who sleeps around on her husband?

Which surgeon do you want operating on you? The barely competent one who spent her college years tucked away in her dorm room, or the arrogant college jock who mocked Hispanics but matured into the most talented, kind, and caring surgeon who deeply regrets his actions and donates his time to doctors without borders to atone for his actions in college?

…..what about the wise Judge who twenty years ago as a young lawyer struggled in business and ended up with a tax lien that took a few years to pay off? Should he be disqualified from holding office and instead should we have a wealthy, spoiled, and indifferent Judge with no tax liens but also no common sense?

None off us are perfect. ‘Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone.’

What worries us is not so much the leaders who we force to resign, as much as the future President Roosevelts and General Eisenhowers who never chose to serve because there is a picture of them at age 18 or 20 doing something offensive and stupid as 18-20 year olds are wont to do. Are we condemning ourselves to a future of mediocre but morally correct leaders? That is the worst tragedy of all.”

Enjoy your day!