Anthony Weiner: Self-Destruction By Pride And Arrogance

I write with a heavy heart today. I sit watching the train wreck that has become Anthony Weiner’s life and my heart aches. First and foremost- yes, I most definitely believe he should have stepped down, and, as my colleague said, it’s about time! But though I agree that he should have stepped down, it is very painful to watch a person self-destruct.

I’m also in a rare spot today in that I find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with Alan Colmes. He was on Fox News giving his commentary after Mr. Weiner’s news conference, and he said that Mr. Weiner should have been given the opportunity to speak without being heckled by his constituents. I agree with Mr. Colmes. I honestly do not know if that has ever happened before today. While I completely understand the anger of his constituents, he should have been given the opportunity to speak without the heckling from the audience. Call me a softy if you will, but it was heart-breaking to watch.

Yes, he has dished out the heckling himself. He has been nothing but arrogant every time I have seen him on Fox News.  I guess it’s true- what goes around comes around. I still cannot relish in what he is going through. I am a firm believer that you do what is right, no mater what has been done to you. It’s not always easy, but doing what is right means being the bigger person. You know the saying… “two wrongs don’t make a right.”

There is a Bible Scripture that I have been praying over for several days now, regarding the situation with Anthony Weiner.

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

If only Mr. Weiner would have told the truth from the beginning, I strongly believe things would be differently. Though I personally believe he should have stepped down even at that point, I realize that the majority of the American people do not see things such as “inappropriate” texts, emails, tweets, etc. as an offense worthy of resigning.  I just personally believe that someone in a leadership position should be held to higher standards. If you fall during your leadership tenure, you should step down. I don’t care if you are a politician, preacher, or leader in another type of organization. To me, being in leadership means you have exceptional standards and qualities. It’s not something you are “owed” or “entitled” to.

The truth is we all have our issues. We all make mistakes. I believe that if we face up to the things we’ve done, and truly work towards making ourselves better, we can get past the worst of the worst. The cover-up is always worse than the actual offense, no matter what it is. It’s one of the number one lessons we try to teach our kids. If you’ve made a mistake, tell the truth. Don’t try to hide it.

Though I completely disagree with Anthony Weiner on probably everything he stands for politically, socially and otherwise, my heart goes out to him. Yes, he has done this to himself. But I cannot celebrate in his demise. I am praying for both he and his wife during this very painful time in their lives. Sadly, so much has been destroyed all because of his lies. I pray that his wife will find it in her heart to forgive him; I pray that the American people will find it in their hearts to forgive him; and above all, I pray that he will find it in his heart to forgive himself. I hope this sad situation will not be for naught, and that he will learn from his mistakes and grow to be a better person.