Gratitude
Claire Berlinski, Ed. ·
April 15, 2012 at 6:56am
I woke up this morning with a few minor complaints about my life. You know, the usual--not making enough money, not focused enough, too many unanswered e-mails, hostage to seven emotionally needy cats. Then I read about the Secret Service sex bust, and I decided my life was just fine.
Can you imagine how those idiots are feeling right now? I am so glad, I am so deeply grateful, I am so infinitely thankful, that I am not one of the Secret Service agents who has just been busted not only for soliciting hookers in Cartagena but for being too cheap to pay the bill. I am so glad I am not now in a plane en route to explain that to my wife.
Thank you, God.
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May '10
Re: Gratitude
Think of the tiresome double entendres that would have been spawned if it happend under Bush.
Dec '10
Re: Gratitude
Was that the entirety of the Secret Service advance team, and if so, where was the token woman to provide diversity?
Apr '12
Re: Gratitude
Let's think of those wives waiting for the return of their husbands but they will be the ones taking the kids to school and facing down the humiliation. This links back to why women do go to work while raising a family, so as to reduce their vulnerability to exactly this sort if treatment from their spouse who promised to be faithful when they married. Thank you, Claire. I got that iPad cat game for my Burmese and Siamese which you showed.
Nov '10
Re: Gratitude
Del Mar Dave
Israel Pickholtz
Claire Berlinski, Ed.:
Thank you, God. · · 2 hours ago
You choose your own behavior, like these guys chose theirs.
This is not exactly "Thank God" territory. · 4 hours ago
Israel, I agree wholeheartedly. We all make choices every minute of every day, and the Secret Service agents made theirs.
Claire: Thank you for choosing well and treating us to your insights. · 3 hours ago
Israel , whose name means He who has wrestled with God. I suggest that one's understanding of God's holiness will influence one's behavior. No vision or a wrong vision of God will influence one's behavior. I am reminded of a quote from the Proverbs: "Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint." Does their poor vision of God not influence their cast off of restraint?
I appreciate Claire's thanks to God. St Paul says: "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you."
I am encouraged in Claire's giving thanks to God for His influence on her life.
Edited on April 15, 2012 at 5:35pmAug '10
Re: Gratitude
I don't think my cat would complain if I refused to pay a Columbian hooker.
Cats are great for that.
Jun '10
Re: Gratitude
I'm guessing those Bush-era prayer breaks are no longer on the White House schedule.
Jun '10
Re: Gratitude
Well, Robert, since this problem plagues men more than women, it might be that Claire was sub-consciously creating a reversal of the Jewish prayer of gratitude that a man says: "Thank you God for not making me a woman." Just a thought.
Re: Gratitude
Israel Pickholtz
This is not exactly "Thank God" territory. · 11 hours ag
o
Theologically, the sentiment I'm expressing is "There but for the grace of God go I." While Colombian hookers wouldn't be my particular temptation, I know I have it in me to be one hell of an almighty screw-up. These guys are going to suffer the torments of the damned now--they've disgraced themselves, they've embarrassed the entire United States, they've betrayed their wives, they're ruined their careers and quite likely their marriages, and they're damaged forever the image of the Secret Service. Do they deserve to feel terrible? Yes. Do I feel sorry for them all the same? Yes. Anyone who's ever screwed up but good--and that's all of us, I suspect--has to feel a bit of pity for them. We're all only a few seconds of bad judgment away from feeling the way they are.
Jul '11
Re: Gratitude
Maybe she was the one arguing price with the hooker?
Oct '11
Re: Gratitude
Claire Berlinski, Ed.: I am so glad I am not now in a plane en route to explainthat to my wife.
Thank you, God. · · 14 hours ago
I think it will be a variation of ''Honey my Spanish betrayed me.''
Sep '10
Re: Gratitude
iPad cat game? Must get the link to my friends who have two cats and one iPad.
Btw, Alainnah, it appears you are new to Ricochet. Welcome!
Jun '10
Re: Gratitude
Claire Berlinski, Ed.
Israel Pickholtz
This is not exactly "Thank God" territory. · 11 hours ag
o
Theologically, the sentiment I'm expressing is "There but for the grace of God go I." While Colombian hookers wouldn't be my particular temptation, I know I have it in me to be one hell of an almighty screw-up. These guys are going to suffer the torments of the damned now--they've disgraced themselves, they've embarrassed the entire United States, they've betrayed their wives, they're ruined their careers and quite likely their marriages, and they're damaged forever the image of the Secret Service. Do they deserve to feel terrible? Yes. Do I feel sorry for them all the same? Yes. Anyone who's ever screwed up but good--and that's all of us, I suspect--has to feel a bit of pity for them. We're all only a few seconds of bad judgment away from feeling the way they are. · 2 hours ago
Very nice, Claire. Exactly as it should be. You are a model for us all to follow. This is called compassion and it is one of the highest virtues.
Dec '10
Re: Gratitude
Claire, I consider myself compassionate and understand the sentiment of "there but for the grace of God go I", but do you feel sorry for John Edwards or Bill Clinton? A certain amount of schaden freud seems acceptable toward our political/ideological enemies, though they be fellow countrymen. I think we should, however withhold judgement in general until the facts are in for the Secret Service guys. It makes me wonder about past indiscretions. It is almost easier to believe somehow this administration's Secret Service are newly corrupt, given that unit's long history of valor and professionalism, but it is possible there is a prior history of this behavior.
Edited on April 16, 2012 at 5:06amDec '10
Re: Gratitude
You see Honey, we were trying to recruit them. We were trying to get them to sleep with the delegates from …um… Venezuela so we could get the goods on Chavez. Yeah that’s it. Honey? Honey?
Oct '10
Re: Gratitude
Claire,
I agree with your basic sentiment, however we are assuming that one,the agents are married, and two, that the events happened as they are being portrayed in the media.
I would agree with Grimaud: "I think we should, however withhold judgement in general until the facts are in for the Secret Service guys."
I my years in the military I have found that the scams prostitutes, local hotel and bar staffs, and even local police will run for money are only limited by their imagination and creativity.