What We Learned From Foley

National Review Online: GOP Must Stiffen Resolve To Promote Conservative Values

(National Review Online) 
In this light, Democrats' righteous indignation over the Foley mess is revealed as little more than political opportunism. If only Democrats were to realize that their attempts to be tolerant and inclusive have helped promote a culture where children are at risk of sexual exploitation.

Politics aside, the Foley scandal highlights a sexualization of children that pervades society. Our popular culture has for years been treating children as objects of sexual desire and encouraging them to behave as such.

Countless 10-year-old girls take Britney Spears' provocative way of dressing as the epitome of fashion. Hollywood routinely exploits young children, as does Madison Avenue. The fashion industry seems intent on having kids think that their sexuality is all that's of value about them. Clothing retailer Abercrombie and Fitch has long been known for its promotions showing what look to be teenagers engaged in sexual acts. It recently introduced thong underwear for children as young as seven years old, with the words "wink, wink" and "eye candy" embroidered on them.

Meanwhile, junior-high and high-school principals across the country are lamenting the "sleaze chic" culture in their schools. Many have been forced to ban T-shirts with sexually suggestive phrases like "I know what boys want" and "Yes, but not with you."

In the end, the Foley scandal is further evidence that the pro-family agenda is desperately needed in our country. It's curious that many media outlets lambasted congressional Republicans for not doing enough to protect children from Foley while also maligning conservatives for their supposed "preoccupation" with sexual issues.

Conservatives are the ones who have argued that human sexuality should be channeled through marriage between one man and one woman, that schools should teach kids how to read and write and stop handing out condoms and birth control pills, and that all our children should be welcomed into the world and protected by the law. We are the ones who say there are reliable standards of right and wrong governing sexual conduct and who have led the charge against the sexualization of our children.

If the Foley scandal wakes up both political parties — and our popular culture — to a need to rediscover the values of family and faith, then perhaps something good can come out of this mess.

[patriotic9]

"What we learned from Foley"
1)First lesson we learned that REPUBLICANS just like their GOD-LOVING,HOLY,RELIGIOUS,CONSERVATIVE PRIESTS in the CHURCHES who SEXUALLY MOLEST and SODOMIZE young,little innocent American boys who call them FATHER,are not against a guy who screws boys,They are against the guys who want to have relationship with adults(gay marriage).
2)Second lesson is that all the RELIGIOUS,HOLY GOD-LOVING PEOPLE who oppose the constitution of USA which forbids the involvement of religion into polictics by seaprating CHURCH from STATE,are HYPOCRITES and LIARS.Whether it's BUHS who lied about Iraq WMDs,FOLEY who voted against GAY MARRIAGE and himself was harassing boys on internet,DRUG ADDICT LIMBOUGH,BILL OREILLY who preaches MORAL VALUES to everyone and himself was SEXUALLY HARASSING a female at work and then gave her $10 million to keep her mouth shut.GOD-LOVING,HOLY,CONSERVATIVE,RELIGIOUS PEOPLE who play the game of THE FATHER,THE SON and THE HOLY SPIRIT in the CHURCHES.Holy man is THE FATHER,the boy whose pant is PULLED DOWN by that HOLY MAN in the name of GOD is THE SON and what is inserted in the BACKHOLE of that innocent boy is the HOLY SPIRIT.These RELIGIOUS,HOLY,CONSERVATIVE people are the worst creatures on the face of earth.

[hermit22]

Please print more of Gary Bauer's writing.
Thank you.

[bratmobile67]

I noticed a lot of cynicism in these posts about Foley and his activities. It saddens me that there is not any real emotion,but it is hardly surprising. Why should anyone in america feel shocked, outraged, sympathetic, protective of the child that was the victim of foley? we are only after all DISPOSIBLE, correct? We have a president who was excused from the draft sending our military to die, with no regard to the loss of lives,only to his own personal agenda, we have senate and congress passing legislations that make it more profitable to tear families apart,and steal children, and profitable to experiment on children regardless of the harm to their wellbeing, subjecting these children to mind altering drugs.... So why the uproar now? everyone around Foley knew for years, no one cared to stop these activities because it wasn't convenient to them or profitable for them to."Keep Foley happy he will cooperate and pass the bills we want him to..." For the People, Of the People, By the People? I doubt that.Lisa Lema

[rafterman1]

"It never ceases to amaze me how completely divorced from reality the conservative sites are."

Actually, I disagree. The conservative sites are perfectly aware of reality and know EXACTLY what they are doing. But it's part of the strategy. Repeat lies, stay coonsistent in your lies and people will start believing. Lies like "For years, the Republican Party, as the home of values voters, has claimed the mantle of faith and family"

[rharrin1]

We found out how they lie and cover-up look at hastert he was told by his own people about foley and he did nothing and says he can't remember.

That can't remember was all used up by reagan in the contra hearings, that's all he said.

When the next election comes up we should finish the job we started in 2006.

[bluestardad]

creeper00 well spoken

[bluestardad]

We need to send a crate of chickens to congress so they will leave the pages alone.

[bluestardad]

When is this pedophyle going to Jail?

[sharncedar]

"Both parties aren't worth the powder to blow them both to hell"

I respectfully disagree. It would take about $730 dollars worth of powder, used liberally by a proper firing squad. A very good investment, not at all a waste of taxpayers money. The best investment we could make as a country, think of the dividends - the next Congress would be very hesitant to spend some trillions of dollars of corporate welfare and subsidies to foreign countries, I reckon.

This NRO article stinks with hypocrisy. As if blathering on and on about family values is going to convince any thinking person that the Foley scandal was anything but a Republican lapse in judgment and ethics! And please, don't insult our intelligence with excuses that political correctness forced the Republican leadership to sweep Foley's behavior under the rug!!! The Republicans had years to do something about this man and they did nothing for reasons of expediency, not political correctness.

[swingalong]

Yes, more National Review twaddle. As usual they spend most of the time telling about how awful the Democrats are whenever a Republican screws up. Isn't it awful when one side thinks it has cornered the market on morality or decency? Truly Taliban at heart.

By the way, the Boy Scouts of America are a dirty organization that also willfully practices religious discrimination against agnostics and atheists by going after their children and denying them membership. That's their national policy. if a child's mom is heard to say she is an agnostic -- the child is not allowed to join. (I know this first hand.) They, like other hate groups, seek protection from the concept of 'RIGHT OF ASSOCIATION," which no decent organization would touch with a ten-foot pole. They fight fiercely and unapolgetically to band those without the correct religion and they win in court -- just like the American Nazis and the rest of the groups that need to protect their institutionalized hate and discrimination which is usually codified in a carefully written pledge that makes certain people ineligible. It's a sickening organization and anyone that has anything to do with the BSA is making a tremendous ethical error. Oh, but the National Review and the republicans have the morals. I forgot. I must be wrong.

Three cheers for anyone who boos these low lifes -- the Boy Scouts.

NO ONE should join that group no matter what their sexual orientation, religious affiliation, or political party.

[tejasdemo]

Typical NRO. More interested in winning then actually solving the countries massive problems.

The reason is because none of the nation's massive problem really affect these zeros.

They have plenty of money. They dont fight in wars. They dont pay any taxes.

[creeper00]

What a hoot! The NRO takes half of a two-page article to explain how the Foley scandal is really about what reprobates the Democrats are. They even dredged up Gerry Studds. For crying out loud, the man is dead and the scandal that made his name a household word happened thirty-three years ago! This is truly scraping the bottom of the barrel.

It never ceases to amaze me how completely divorced from reality the conservative sites are. Not only does this one lay the blame for Mark Foley squarely at the feet of Democrats, it also proudly proclaims, "For years, the Republican Party, as the home of values voters, has claimed the mantle of faith and family."

I have a few words for Mr. Bauer:
Duke Cunningham
Tom Delay
Jack Abramoff
Bob Ney
and, of course, the aforementioned Mark Foley.

So much for "values."

Clean your own house before you tell the world how dirty someone else's is.

[observantx]

Let us not forget the hypocritical ruling that came out of the House unEthics Committee. There was negligence and wrong things were done, but that%u2019s OK since nobody broke any rules. Like you need a rule not to send gross pedophile emails to young boys and that you need a rule requiring turning in a practicing pedophile.

Let us also be aware that Mr. Bauer is a member of Project for a New American Century, the hotbed of neoconservative plotting in our government. So it is not surprising that Mr. Bauer wants to spin this as much as possible that it is the opposing party%u2019s fault that Foley was given a free ride to chase after pages.

[susanhelit]

So, Mr. Gary Bauer doesn't know the difference between a pedophile and a homosexual? Or, rather, wants to hide it so he can slam the Democrats for not letting the Republicans hide their hypocricy and support their local pedophile.

Homosexual boy scout leaders are not there to have *** with the boy scouts, any more than the straight leaders are to do so. The ACLU supports free speech in all guises, including supporting a pastor's attempts to picket WalMart, opposing their support of ***. Who NAMBLA supports is hardly relevant, when no political party nor elected politician supports them in any way, shape or form - and we wouldn't want to get into who the KKK gives it's money to - now would we....

OK, it's an opinion article, and they're allowed to be somewhat lose with the truth, but I can't say I ever like it, especially not in an article about cleaning house and reclaiming your personal values... lies hardly fit in to an article about this, no matter how much you wish you could blame the Democrats for all the ethical lapses of the Republicans.

[bluestardad]

so is this guy going to jail or what?

[mjv2944]

Both parties aren't worth the powder to blow them both to hell. But we also now know that the neocons have no real values except personnel gain no matter what the cost. Conservatives are behind the eight ball thanks to the likes of Foley and DeLay. They will have a hard time selling conservatism considering how much debt we have accumulated and how much government has grown under them and their so called personal values.