Grief for the kids

I have a lot on my mind today, and tears in my eyes.

Second: I am not only sad but mad over this whole Congressman Foleygate thing. How could they turn their back on the 16 year old boy, former house page or messenger, who complained about Mr. Foley in 2005 for sending an "overfriendly" e-mail to him? Congress, police thyself The Monitor's View (The Christian Monitor) really takes congress on for not policing themselves again. Oh sure they'll talk big and promise reform, then they'll wait until the whole thing quites down. What is disheartening is that Congressman or ex Congressman Foley was co-chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus. Hello, this is an exploited child.

And the coverup that has ensued by the Republicans who handled the boy's complaint internally and quietly is unexplainable. The House clerk and the GOP congressman in charge of the House Page Board instructed Foley to cease the communication. Neither the bipartisan Page Board nor the Ethics Committee was informed. House leaders say they didn't know about earlier sexually explicit Internet and cellphone communications to former pages until last week. Now, after a request from GOP House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois on Sunday, the FBI is investigating.

The Foley Gate could uncover and unravel what has become a self serving, self righteous, self pleasing, self protected, above the law congress. And if they don't think it can happen, look what has happened to the Roman Catholics, and is happening in other denominations as well.

Made a search further of other Christian websites, including my own UMC website, and not one, no not one makes a comment about this situation. But Belief Net has a posting about how Mr. Foley slipped by the media with this one by Rod Drecher. He points out that last year, the St. Petersburg Times and the Miami Herald both knew that Foley had had inappropriate communication with the 16-year-old page, but declined to write about it. It seems without the kid going on record it couldn't or wouldn't report it. This is not an excuse: CNN also reports that Brian Ross of ABC News, who got his hands on the same info that the Florida papers had, did some old-fashioned reporting and smoked Foley out. So Foley even had the protection early on of the media. What 16 year old who already had his complaint covered up by the biggest house of power in the country was going to go on record with the newspaper and then be harassed by everybody and his brother? Well the fallout is happening with Fastert being asked to resign, but he won't. Bush is condemning the Democrats. See CNN's report on Foley's cybersex before vote and other articles. Folks this is one of our elected officials of our country. Now you get it. It makes me mad, sick and sad. Time's article is titled Behind Foley's Swift Fall From Grace. "I am deeply sorry and I apologize for letting down my family and the people of Florida," Foley said in a statement confirming that he would not seek re-election next month. But Foley where is your sorry to the kids you have sexually abused? And now he is in Rehab for Alcoholism. There is a whole lot more going on than alcoholism. His work against child sex offenders is certainly the most glaring irony of the emerging Foley scandal. Foley is a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus and has played key roles in recent legislation to protect kids - including the Volunteers for Children Act. How does one who is a pedophile himself be in charge of and protect the innocent? He covers it up. I am now further sick.

I have to say I am wrong, CBN takes on Foley and congress, you go CBN, as well with several articles. David Brody has two reports; one called Foley Fallout and Foley Follies.

One of our new members of the revgalblogpals also blogs about Foley and has some comments of her own worth reading, and Mark Foley's Resignation posted by Rev. Debra W. Haffner. She writes this; "Someone commented on my blog that the age of consent in DC is 16, and therefore the page might not have been a minor. But Representative Foley isn't a teenager -- he is an adult man with power over these pages. His actions, whether or not they turn out to be illegal, were immoral. They violate the very concept of consent and non-exploitation."

I send prayers up for the child involved, Foley and his family, our congress and our leaders. Its a tough time right now. I am had a third item to blog about in terms of children, but I am worn out from this, and a day at work. I want to go home and hug and hold my children.