Hypocritical Condition

While out with a friend Friday night, the topic of conversation turned to soon to be ex-Senator Larry Craig. It's all over the news these days--and great fodder for Jay Leno's writing staff. Wide stance? Well, that makes you an easy target for sure... My friend, who happens to be gay, said that what bothers him most about the whole scandal is not whether or not Craig is gay and in the closet, or the sleaziness of soliciting sex in a men's room, but the complete hypocrisy of his private actions vs. his public stances. Which are not "wide" by any measure...

In fact, if you do a search at washingtonpost.com using the search term "hypocrisy," seven of the first ten articles that come up refer to Larry Craig. When Webster gets around to revising it's New World dictionary, the picture next to the word "hypocrite" will be Larry Craig.

One of the articles listed is by William Saletan who says:

"Poor Larry Craig. He's being held to the same standard of sexual conduct he imposed on the U.S. armed forces.

Fourteen years ago, in his first term as a Republican senator from Idaho, Craig helped enact the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The Air Force, for instance, now says that any airman will be discharged if he "has engaged in, attempted to engage in, or solicited another to engage in a homosexual act.""

While some may recoil in disgust at Craig's actions, snicker at the ludicrousness of his "defense" or engage in schadenfreude at how the mighty have fallen, I agree with my friend. It's the hypocrisy that irks me more than anything. Larry Flynt, publisher of Hustler, has had an ongoing campaign against hypocrites in politics. Hustler's Moral Hypocrite Hit List targets only those who definitely aren't practicing what they're preaching, and not those who espouse a more liberal agenda.

When you take a look at the so-called seven deadly sins: sloth, avarice, pride, envy, gluttony, wrath and lust--hypocrisy isn't on the list. But it should be. It could take lust's place--which isn't that big a sin--unless, of course, we're talking about pedophiles. I know I've known my share of Larry Craig's who preach one thing and practice quite another:

Like the woman I used to know who I practically had to talk down from a ledge after she had a fight with her boyfriend and then dropped me like a hot potato when I was down in the dumps because I was "too needy."

Or the close friends who regarded me like "family" and for whom I was always a shoulder to cry on in times of crisis--only to leave me to twist in the wind during a rough time in my lilfe. (Who knows? Maybe they're not hypocrites--maybe they treat their family that way, too...)

Or the friend who complains about being taken for granted by her significant other, but only calls me when she needs something...

Or the colleague who complains bitterly about the disloyal treatment at the hands of his partner, but who has shown little in the way of loyalty or support to his subordinates (you reap what you sow...)

Or the employer who spends money for his personal needs like it was water--but only grudgingly and with much grousing will sign the meager paychecks of his employees...

Or the instructor who spouts off about wanting to pass on the "juicy goodness" of yoga to you--but teaches his class like an automaton on autopilot and can't be bothered to acknowledge your existence much less adjust your posture...

Or the hypersensitive acquaintance that you must walk on eggshells to deal with, who blithely tramples the feelings of others...

Or the neighbor who complains about the "noise" from wind chimes hanging up outside the building next door, but causes far more disruption by slamming doors.

Or the former writing partner who loved to nitpick at my scripts but was exceedingly defensive at my general feedback of her work...

It's doubtful that any of the hypocrites in my life will receive the "called on their shit comeuppance" that Larry Craig did, but one can always hope...