Dignity of Anthony Weiner

The lead article in today’s New York Times, “In Chaotic Scene, Weiner Quits Seat in Scandal’s Wake,” shows a man so completely reviled and humiliated that it should give pause to us all.

Mr. Weiner, who finally resigned yesterday after three weeks of revelations, one more shocking than the next, ultimately damaged himself far more than the Democratic Party, and things should start to return to normal in the news cycle shortly. Despite what Mr. Weiner did, the Republican plan to turn Medicare into a voucher program is still just as reprehensible and should be covered more widely now that he is off the scene.

The scandal is, in effect, a personal one, and even the Congressional Ethics Committee no longer has jurisdiction over it now that Mr. Weiner has resigned. It is important for everyone to remember, however, that he is still a human being, and loved by God, and he deserves to retain a measure of the dignity given to us all as creatures formed in God’s image.

It was unfortunate that his press conference yesterday was marred by hecklers; he deserved better than that for what must have been a very difficult decision for him. Mr. Weiner has always been a fighter at heart, and maybe his resignation indicates the beginning of a learning process, where he learns when it is important to listen to others and leave the stage.