Gov. Sanford has been the scrutiny of just about every news source lately. His affair with an Argentine woman was publicly uncovered recently, although others (including his wife) have known about his affair since late last year.
While at first my heart broke to see another Republican politician get thrown in the mud, my heart also reached out to him, wanting to give him a second chance. To be completely honest, that's usually how I respond to circumstances such as these. I still haven't gotten over the Clewinsky thing yet, but I'm coming to an understanding. Although our former president messed up greatly, his wife and he sought reconciliation before hatred. I respect that.
Most recently, the famous family, Jon & Kate Gosselin (plus their eight), have been in the midst of turmoil, including supposed infidelity on both accounts. But what I disrespected most about them is that they didn't seem willing to work it out. Kate had at first suggested she would to fight for their marriage, but either she lost the fight, or never intended to fight it out. What irks me the most was that the show has continued, and although it's on hiatus for an indefinite time (August 5th is the rumored return date), the producers are actually continuing with the show, just as Kate and Jon separate. What upsets me most is that the show will still continue, and it has appeared that Jon and Kate aren't willing to give up the show and all the perks that come along with it to seek guidance, counseling, or therapy in order to save what is most important - their marriage.
So back to the whole Sanford thing. Like I said, I wanted not only for me to give him that second chance, but for others to give him that second chance as well. Although he and his wife are living separately for the time, there has been every indication that a reconciliation has been in progress. There is a time for healing. I can only imagine the pain not only his wife is in, but also his sons. How terrible for children to learn that their father did not remain faithful to their mother. But as Sanford said just Saturday evening while at a beach house with his family, "If there wasn't healing going on I wouldn't be here." That's a good step in the right direction, Gov. Sanford.
As a journalist, my curiosity sometimes gets the better of me. I tracked down online copies of the emails Sanford had sent back and forth between his mistress, Maria. From what I've gathered, the two have been friends before this started, and just like Sanford said in his first press conference, "It began very innocently, as I suspect many of these things do." In the last year it had developed into something much more. According to the emails, well, I must give credit to where it's due. Gov. Sanford, in one of the messages, said that their relationship was crossing a line he never thought he'd cross, and how he needed to right this wrong. Although there were some provocative details about their love affair, he explicitly implied he wanted out, and he would rather stop the affair, knowing the pain it would cause to his wife and family, but also to her as well. He states in one of his emails, "My heart wants me to get on a plane tonight and to be in your loving arms — my head is saying how do we put the Genie back in the bottle because I sure don’t want to be encumbering you, or your options or your life."
Let me put it this way. I certainly cannot and will not condone the relationship they had. It caused an overwhelming amount of unnecessary pain for not only the family, but the entire state of South Carolina and the rest of America. It was wrong.
But when you read the letters, you begin to understand the turmoil he was going through. His heart truly did not want to hurt his wife, but the woman was the epitome of Eve in the garden. She could not see how wrong the relationship was. She condoned what they were doing in her own way - I'm still not quite sure how that works. She condoned their emotional relationship just as much as their physical one, further tempting him into the terrible decisions he now faces the consequences of. "I don’t know how we figure all this out and I am not interested in knowing," she tells Gov. Sanford in one of her emails.
They say, "It takes two to tango." While that is most certainly true, I must say that it seems like he was walking out the door as she was pulling him back in, and unfortunately, she won the battle.
Politically, I'm not sure what the circumstances are, so I cannot say with authority whether he should step down or not. But what I can say is that I do not want him to step down just because he had a black spot on a white jacket. South Carolinans seem split, but most say that he's been a good governor in the past. I do not wish to see this change just because of one sin, nor do I want America to judge based upon this one (very big) blemish. Politically speaking, In these uncertain economic times, it would be difficult for both South Carolina and the rest of America to go through the transition of power. Personally speaking, I would much rather see his marriage work out as he steps down rather than his marriage implode if he stays. A marriage comes first. That is my ultimate stance. If saving his marriage means leaving office, then I am in full support of his decision. But if it's possible to stay in office and reconcile this marriage, that is what I'd rather see.
Ultimately, I am proud of First Lady Sanford for willing to reconcile. I hope their Christian roots can bring a process of forgiveness and reconciliation that I know is receivable nowhere else.
The (true!) Biblical stories of Hosea and David set examples for situations such as these. From a Biblical basis, and from what I see here, the Sanfords are setting a precedent for marriage infidelities.
While at first my heart broke to see another Republican politician get thrown in the mud, my heart also reached out to him, wanting to give him a second chance. To be completely honest, that's usually how I respond to circumstances such as these. I still haven't gotten over the Clewinsky thing yet, but I'm coming to an understanding. Although our former president messed up greatly, his wife and he sought reconciliation before hatred. I respect that.
Most recently, the famous family, Jon & Kate Gosselin (plus their eight), have been in the midst of turmoil, including supposed infidelity on both accounts. But what I disrespected most about them is that they didn't seem willing to work it out. Kate had at first suggested she would to fight for their marriage, but either she lost the fight, or never intended to fight it out. What irks me the most was that the show has continued, and although it's on hiatus for an indefinite time (August 5th is the rumored return date), the producers are actually continuing with the show, just as Kate and Jon separate. What upsets me most is that the show will still continue, and it has appeared that Jon and Kate aren't willing to give up the show and all the perks that come along with it to seek guidance, counseling, or therapy in order to save what is most important - their marriage.
So back to the whole Sanford thing. Like I said, I wanted not only for me to give him that second chance, but for others to give him that second chance as well. Although he and his wife are living separately for the time, there has been every indication that a reconciliation has been in progress. There is a time for healing. I can only imagine the pain not only his wife is in, but also his sons. How terrible for children to learn that their father did not remain faithful to their mother. But as Sanford said just Saturday evening while at a beach house with his family, "If there wasn't healing going on I wouldn't be here." That's a good step in the right direction, Gov. Sanford.
As a journalist, my curiosity sometimes gets the better of me. I tracked down online copies of the emails Sanford had sent back and forth between his mistress, Maria. From what I've gathered, the two have been friends before this started, and just like Sanford said in his first press conference, "It began very innocently, as I suspect many of these things do." In the last year it had developed into something much more. According to the emails, well, I must give credit to where it's due. Gov. Sanford, in one of the messages, said that their relationship was crossing a line he never thought he'd cross, and how he needed to right this wrong. Although there were some provocative details about their love affair, he explicitly implied he wanted out, and he would rather stop the affair, knowing the pain it would cause to his wife and family, but also to her as well. He states in one of his emails, "My heart wants me to get on a plane tonight and to be in your loving arms — my head is saying how do we put the Genie back in the bottle because I sure don’t want to be encumbering you, or your options or your life."
Let me put it this way. I certainly cannot and will not condone the relationship they had. It caused an overwhelming amount of unnecessary pain for not only the family, but the entire state of South Carolina and the rest of America. It was wrong.
But when you read the letters, you begin to understand the turmoil he was going through. His heart truly did not want to hurt his wife, but the woman was the epitome of Eve in the garden. She could not see how wrong the relationship was. She condoned what they were doing in her own way - I'm still not quite sure how that works. She condoned their emotional relationship just as much as their physical one, further tempting him into the terrible decisions he now faces the consequences of. "I don’t know how we figure all this out and I am not interested in knowing," she tells Gov. Sanford in one of her emails.
They say, "It takes two to tango." While that is most certainly true, I must say that it seems like he was walking out the door as she was pulling him back in, and unfortunately, she won the battle.
Politically, I'm not sure what the circumstances are, so I cannot say with authority whether he should step down or not. But what I can say is that I do not want him to step down just because he had a black spot on a white jacket. South Carolinans seem split, but most say that he's been a good governor in the past. I do not wish to see this change just because of one sin, nor do I want America to judge based upon this one (very big) blemish. Politically speaking, In these uncertain economic times, it would be difficult for both South Carolina and the rest of America to go through the transition of power. Personally speaking, I would much rather see his marriage work out as he steps down rather than his marriage implode if he stays. A marriage comes first. That is my ultimate stance. If saving his marriage means leaving office, then I am in full support of his decision. But if it's possible to stay in office and reconcile this marriage, that is what I'd rather see.
Ultimately, I am proud of First Lady Sanford for willing to reconcile. I hope their Christian roots can bring a process of forgiveness and reconciliation that I know is receivable nowhere else.
The (true!) Biblical stories of Hosea and David set examples for situations such as these. From a Biblical basis, and from what I see here, the Sanfords are setting a precedent for marriage infidelities.
