Should Weiner Resign? 2

One thing ‘Weinergate’ demonstrates is the need to be more accepting of a person’s sexual preferences, so long as they hurt no one and are realized between mutually consenting adults. Kink such as Weiner’s is not a crime and is more wide-spread than conventional wisdom cares to admit. But it is, if not formally criminalized, treated like one of the most vile morally reprehensible crimes on earth. Worse than destroying the planet with our profligate life styles, rape, or war.

Yet very often the kinkster is doing his or her best to manage their feelings and needs in such a way that they do not overshadow their talents, skills and attributes. In fact, the expression of kink actually helps them better manifest their talents, skills and attributes, enabling them to make worthwhile contributions to a world that works for everyone and everything in it.

Carl Jung called kink, the shadow side of human life, the cut-off demonized part of every person that needs to be owned and reintegrated if one is to be whole and healthy. Those that keep their shadows cut-off and suppressed, waste time and energy in denial and suppression that might more profitably be used elsewhere. They tend to be prudish, uptight, fanatical, intolerant and unforgiving of others, control freaks, believing they know what’s best for everyone.

Better to face and embrace the shadow through kink if need be, the way Weiner did. His talents were being well used. He is a brilliant compassionate person and an excellent spokesperson for his POV, who has been forced to lie – which was a bad choice – by a hypocritical, sexually uptight society. Weiner is a casualty in the on-going ‘war’ to decriminalize kink and enable people to reintegrate their shadows.

His situation if treated fairly, honestly and compassionately may be seen as another call for help, another example of how our society needs to be less hypocritical and more tolerant. Continuing to ‘criminalize’ kink as we do, is throwing the baby out with the bath water, and costs us dearly, because people with big talents and lots to contribute have bigger shadows. By not allowing people to express their shadows through kink, we deprive ourselves of their talents, skills and attributes. By forcing people to deny and suppress their shadows by ‘criminalizing’ kink, we create toxic shame and guilt, encouraging crime, abuse, sickness and tragedy, along with all the sadness and costs that dealing with these things entails.

Should Weiner resign? He did lie – and no one in Congress lies – and seems still to be lying about some things. He may have used Federal property in the commission of his so-called ‘crimes,’ and that is illegal, but he’s not the only one who’s done this. But most of his constituents – they’re tolerant, liberal New Yorkers – want him to stay. They don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I hope and pray Weiner’s wife feels the same. Should he resign? Only if he and his wife think it’s the best thing to do and don’t want to put up with the BS yet to come. Otherwise, I think he should stay, admit to his kink, though really, its nobody’s business, and fight on.