The one thing now that could make Anthony Weiner a better person

[Ken Burch]

No...he can't undo the sext thing...that ship has freaking sailed, that train has left the station(insert any other transportation-related metaphor that comes to your mind, kids).

What he could do now is to take the time he'll have away from politics to re-think some things...

Particularly, the one issue on which he takes a pointlessly, rigidly right-wing position:

The Israel/Palestine dispute.

Anthony Weiner has(assuming she'll forgive him for this shit)a beautiful Muslim wife, who will bear him a child several months from now. That child would probably also be raised Muslim. While his wife and child-to-be are Pakistani, not Palestinian, he could reflect on their existence and allow himself to see the humanity of the other people of what used to be "The Mandate"...the Palestinian Arabs, mostly Muslim, towards whose grievances he has been oblivious at best and staggeringly heartless at worse.

When his child is put in his arms, he'll see a tiny little baby who will look a lot like the children of Ramallah or Rafah...of Nazareth or East Jerusalem...and we can only hope that he'll see that, if a little baby that looks like that deserves a life free of oppression and misery when he or she is his own child, so will the children she or he will so closely resemble. Maybe that will get through to him when nothing else would.

This might be a chance for Anthony Weiner to grow a soul on this issue...And then, should he seek the Mayoralty of New York City, the local government office that probably has greater influence on Middle East policy than that of any other municipal leader, to work, as his predecessors in the office have never previously worked, to end the conflict rather than to keep it going.

If Anthony Weiner could take what he's going to go through now and use it go open his mind and heart of the Israel/Palestine issue, that might, in a weird way, make all of this at least partially worthwhile.

[girl_interrupted]

1. I'm sure he has more important things on his mind

like whether or not his marriage will survive. I'm sure they have a lot to work on now. Besides he is no longer in politics, so you will just have to find some other politican to do that. I'm quite sure he already knows his wife's background, he was well aware of it when he married her, without you reminding him. Now it's time for people to get off his back and let him enjoy his new life and child. I wish him well.

[Ken Burch]

2. This isn't a "stay on Weiner's back" thread.

It's a "maybe the guy could grow now" thread...which is very different.

I never called on Weiner to resign, just so you know.

[girl_interrupted]

3. I wasn't trying to be facetious, just so you know

I was just being honest. I'm not sure where you live, but I am here in NY. And if anyone thinks his resigning has ended anything, it certainly hasn't. The media is following him like a wild pack of dogs. He and his wife left for the Hamptons and the media is now crawling all over the place. He and his wife were at a supermarket picking up groceries and they had to leave because they can't even do that in private.

And of course, the talking heads are already discussing whether or not he deserves his pension. And of course, they are also looking for interviews with the "women".


There is news that Larry Flynt from Hustler has offered him a job, I doubt he will take, but Flynt was responsible for outing repubs like Henry Hyde and Bob Livingston for their own affairs, during Clinton's impeachment trial. Could be a genuine offer or a hoax, who knows.

On top of that, speaking of his wife, there are unbelievable nasty rumors about her and Hillary Clinton. And of course Howard Stern is thrilled one of his stooges got through to heckle Weiner's resignation speech.

How much more does this guy have to deal with now? His plate is full. For him to "grow politically" right now, is the least of his problems.

He has entered private life, albeit unwilling, but thats what he must concentrate on now. His marriage, a new child, that comes first. So why not just let him be.

I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way, I didn't intend to be nasty, and I do apologize if I have been. But I just don't think this is the time.

[Ken Burch]

4. It's not like I was going to phone the guy about this or anything.

I do realize he's got other stuff to deal with in the short term. No offense taken, just wanted to clarify my intentions.

[aquart]

5. Yup. He was pro-Israel just like his district.

That's his real sin. Ain't it?

May I suggest an extremely narrow receptacle in which to stuff this brilliant insight?

[Ken Burch]

6. No...not being "pro-Israel"...being rigidly anti-Palestinian

and denying that Israel is militarily occupying the West Bank...something even you would never say.

Being "pro-Israel" doesn't require denying that Palestinians have any real grievances in all of this.

[Ken Burch]

7. Michael Lerner is pro-Israel and he doesn't say the things Weiner says

Being pro-Israel doesn't have to mean defending the status quo no matter what.