I have no morals

Light slinks through my windows each morning, reminding me that it is time to leave the comfort of my bed and face another day in the real world. I go through the daily routine of getting ready for work and head to the bus stop still groggy from my noctural state of peace. I say good morning to the bus driver, sit down, and try to give as much space to anyone who sits next to me, for I am considerate. When I arrive at work, I look behind me to see if anyone is coming towards the elevators so I can hold the door for them, even if they are across the lobby. In my office, I work on projects to bring democratic, economic reform to the Middle East North Africa region in an attempt to make the world a better place. I live by the golden rule "Do unto others as you would have done unto you." I smile at strangers as I pass them on the sidewalks, and I walk on the right side to let others pass. I don't cheat people, I tell the truth, and I tip well. I generally don't break laws unless it's a speed limit or a parking issue, but hey, nobody's perfect.

I believe that all humans are created equal, that they are endowed by whatever created them with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I don't try to deny them these rights. I believe torturing a human being is immoral. I believe that fighting poverty, disease, and addiction are imperative to a healthy society and that helping the poor get on their feet is a humane thing to do. I believe the death and destruction caused by war is a human tragedy and that nations working together to end war is the right thing to do. I don't believe that revenge in the form of capital punishment is justice. All of these beliefs make me an immoral person.

Over the past few days I have seen rightwingers trying to defend that scum ex-Congressman Foley for his sexual exploits with the 16 year old page. I've seen them say "what's the big deal?" I've seen them try to trivialize the whole escapade (nevermind that they spent 2-3 years and $90 million impeaching a man who engaged in sexual relations with a consenting adult woman.) That they refuse to acknowledge the hypocrisy in this is disgusting. Let's run through why this is so wrong:

1. The boy was a minor.

2. Foley was chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus and pushed for legislation to protect children from exploitation by adults over the internet and further restrictions of online child pornography.

3. The Republican Party is always spouting off about how the Democrats have no morals, yet this is just another of the many gops who are in trouble with the law.

4. Perhaps the most disturbing part of all of it was the fact that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert knew about it ten months ago and did absolutely nothing.

If having morals is being a 50 year old Congressman and an online sexual predator while serving as chair of the committee that is supposed to protect children from online sexual predators, then no, I have no morals. If swindling taxpayers out of their money and lying about where campaign finance funding comes from is having morals, then no, I have no morals. If cheating through insider trading is having morals, then no, I have no morals. If bombing the hell out of a country and inciting civil war is having morals, then no, I have no morals. The only thing moral about today's Republican Party is the "moral" in the word "immoral." When is America going to wake up and realize this? The polls indicate they are still sleeping.