Spitzer Heartbreaker

The Governor's shame and personal recriminations are surely tearing him up. Maybe someday this nation will be able to deal openly with issues of sexuality without judgment - or at least create an atmosphere where a man or woman can search for personal fulfillment without breaking laws, hurting the ones they love or be denied the opportunity to serve their country.

As a country, we have been treated to a constant parade of elected and religious leaders, who with their sexual behavior, have destroyed the lives of those around them and the dreams of those who believed in them. It has been one tragedy after another. The nation itself has paid a heavy price for these moments. Indeed, almost the entire second term of Bill Clinton's Administration was devoted to fighting the President's impeachment when so many urgently critical issues fell by the wayside.

When Spitzer was elected to the governorship with near 70% of the vote, many New Yorkers had extremely high hopes. Count me as one of the people who thought this charismatic man could have been the nation's first Jewish president. His supporters deeply believed that the new Governor would take The Empire State into a new golden age. His passionate commitment to human rights, the environment, justice and economic equality made us yern to be part of his vision. Admittedly, the last year proved rocky as Spitzer gained his political sea-legs in Albany, but many of us knew instinctively that it was just a matter of time before his populist agenda gained full fruition.

Consequently, his recently announced resignation brings great consequences as well as great sadness. Foremost among those consequences is his family. One hopes the rift resulting from the sense of betrayal can be healed in the Spitzer household.