Redemptive Society - US Style

When the Stalinist Soviet Union demanded that purged political enemies of the people confess and admit their crimes publicly before they were shot in the back of the head at Lubyanka prison in Moscow, Americans gasped at the barbarity of the show. Now in America, we demand that celebrities beg for redemption publicly to restore their standing with the public; no speeding bullet coup de grâce, but just more humiliation for the sinner. Celebrity must be a terrible addiction for those who grovel so desperately to regain it. Self-pride is out; self-pity is in.

Ever since the American revolution threw the English monarchy out of the USA, there has been a historical yearning by many in the USA to worship secular; something other than a non-secular god. To adore politicians, film stars, inventors, military leaders, business tycoons, sport figures, religious leaders and journalists has been substituted for homage to an old effete monarchy.

Some of European and Asian communities have kept their royalty but made it politically toothless; it is maintained as tradition – a sense of continuity that enables colorful ceremonies with jeweled crowns, bright tailored uniforms with unearned decorations and... with a few harmless salacious scandals.

Worship of celebrities is a hazardous endeavor. Politicians are mostly corrupt; films stars overdose on booze and dope; inventors steal ideas; military leaders lose wars foolishly; business tycoons sell their country for profits; steroid-bulked sport figures are bribed, run dog fighting, have illegal weapons, earn assault charges and are killed by their girl friends; journalists sell their souls for a story; and lust... nails the preachers and priests.

The European monarchies collapsed mainly because they lost wars, some which they started, which were followed by economic catastrophes. Inbreeding between the royal houses encouraged hemophilia and the bloodlines were thiner and thiner as royal leadership appeared more incompetent as rulers; ergo, the masses organized and revolted. Gone are the grand Houses of Hapsburg, Hohenzollern, and Bourbons. The Windsors came about when Edward VII arbitrarily changed from the German royal house to Windsors, because the Huns in WWI became the enemy of England.

Celebrities publicly seeking atonement and redemption has been a staple on the American scene for a long time. Bill Clinton was sailing along just fine until Monica Lewinsky's blue dress popped up. He called on Rev. Jesse Run Jackson, who had plenty of woman problems of his own, to save him. Rev. Martin Luther King had a white mistress; he was assassinated before it became a public issue, but he still needs to be defended on dysfunctional family issues. Something President Obama can do as he extolls Rev. Kings' virtues. Maybe the Devil made them all do it.

Politician womanizers abound, such as Spitzer, SC, Gov. Sanders, senators in both parties, and congressmen who cannot keep their hands off page boys. Some of these more pathetic things ask their wives to stand by them publicly as they are mortified.

My issue with all this is not the moral turpitude or betrayal of office, as it can be handled by law or voters; but rather, it is the hypocrisy of the process which permits salvaging of their careers. Ah, that good old Judeo-Christian forgiveness. The USA is one grand confessional. And the publicists and media talking heads administer absolution.

This eagerness to forgive breeds irresponsibility that trickles down from the so-called entitled celebrity class to the lower rungs of society. It encourages the spinning apart of a responsible society by example.

TIGER TIGER BURNING BRIGHT – the media circus surrounding Tiger Woods auto de fé was astounding. It was as if the world stopped to listen to his drivel. Woods is Buddhist. Even the Dalai lama checked in on the issue. The last time I checked, this religion has no Ten Commandments. His wife is a Christian; her religion has commandments as a moral compass... it is going to require celestial wisdom to sort this out. Buddhists believe in self-discipline and consequences of actions; so the Tiger is still caught by the tail.

Radio talking head Lou Dobbs condemned Woods because he victimized his pack of paramours. His female listeners made Dobbs back down as they raged about how all the gals knew Tiger was married when they frolicked with him. How banal can it get?

Tiger lost income when he lost lucrative advertising contracts because some corporations kicked in their moral clauses; he is now a lost sheep returning to the flock. He is involved in a sexual therapy cure. Save your money my friend, just say NO! Take saltpeter or stare at a photo of Golda Meir to kill your lust.

As for celebrity justice in the USA, just sit back and enjoy the lurid drama; it will get worse. Josef Stalin must be smiling somewhere. Colonial Robert E Bartos USA Ret