OPINION:
Thank heavens that the people of New York City are less forgiving of Anthony D. Weiner’s imbroglios than he is (“Anthony Weiner’s pre-election hurrah leads to shoutfest on MSNBC,” Sept. 10). Mr. Weiner, acknowledging his mayoral primary defeat with historic understatement, characterized himself as an “imperfect messenger.” Imperfect? How about “fatally flawed” or “devoid of character and integrity”?
Mr. Weiner learned nothing from the first series of embarrassing incidents he inflicted on his constituents, returning to deviant activity after having quit the U.S. House of Representatives in disgrace. He then had the audacity to claim that he was the best person to lead New York City. If Mr. Weiner wishes to claim that he is sick and unable to help himself, that’s fine. Whatever the reason for him to have engaged in disgraceful conduct, though, he is not psychologically suited to serving in high public office, and he has forfeited that chance permanently.
However one feels about New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (and I regard him highly), I do not think it was ever necessary to worry about what type of humiliation he was inflicting on New York through engagement in perverse sexual activity.
The American people are enormously forgiving. However, they are often not willing to overlook sins that are committed repeatedly. I thank New York voters for responding to the Weiner candidacy with a collective “How dare you!”
OREN M. SPIEGLER
Upper Saint Clair, Pa.
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