Let He Who Is Without...

What is it about the human race that produces perverts who seem to thrive on other people's misery? I'm not talking about fetishes, or people whose games might be a bit on the rough side. I am speaking of those who take something that is beautiful, sweet and good, then find a way to drag it through the mud.

I know that truly good people cannot be ruined permanently from outsiders, at least not ruined from the inside out, but their lives can be made so hard that any less perfect person might yield to the temptation to turn to that proverbial dark side.

What is the point in making life hard? What kind of person reaps joy from someone else's misfortune? Today, anyone in the public eye seems to be fair game. It is always hunting season for those who serve others in any way at all. The rule appears to be, "If I know who you are, it is my right to air all your dirty laundry in public, even holding it up to a magnifying glass so that it appears to be more than it is under the guise of informing people about the true character that lies beneath this shining figure."

Again, I am not talking about corruption, or illegal acts, or personal preferences like racial and ethnic hate crimes. These things really would be detrimental to others. I am speaking of personal problems, sexual preferences, what people say to their family, or children, things that should not be anyone else's business and we all know what they are. Even if I don't write them down, most semi-intelligent adults know the difference between what is right and wrong.

This game, which I started to call new, but which may be as old as evil, where the point is to denigrate anyone who has the good fortune to become popular in some way should be as illegal as any other hate crime. It hurts everyone.

Why should good people place themselves in a position where they are subject to being embarrassed and flayed open for public amusement?

Good people, intelligent people, beautiful people, rich and poor people, have many sides to them, especially if they are well rounded, healthy, happy folks and it would be a shame to lose these people and their services from the public eye because a few mean spirited glory mongers want to destroy their personal lives by opening it to the scrutiny of those who have no business being there.

What is the old biblical statement? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone?

I think that could be stretched to include, let he who has a private life respect that of others.