For Every Idle Silence

By Ken Connor, CP Contributor Friday, October 13, 2006

Many people think that if they mind their own business and keep their mouths shut they can avoid trouble. That's not always true, however, as Republican members of Congress are learning the hard way.

Sometimes doing nothing is just flat wrong. The Bible shows multiple examples of people who failed to act, but were accountable for their failures. Take, for example, the priest and the Levite mentioned in the parable of the Good Samaritan who avoided the man who had been robbed and beaten by walking on the opposite side of the road. Was this not a sin? In the parable of the ten talents, the servant who did not use his talent wisely was called "worthless." When Jesus recounts the judgment of the Son of Man, He says he will cast into hell those who do not feed the poor, house the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit the imprisoned. Finally, James said, "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is a sin." (James 4:17). Failing to do what is right can be just as culpable as doing what is wrong. No doubt this is why St. Ambrose warned, "Not only for every idle word must man give an account, but for every idle silence."

In the law, when circumstances are such that one has a duty to speak up but remains silent, his silence is deemed acquiescence in the matters at hand. The French poet and philosopher, Charles Péguy put it this way, "He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers." It is this failure to bellow the truth when it was known that accounts for the hot water the Republicans find themselves in on this election eve.

While the full extent of what Republicans knew is yet to be revealed, what they admit to knowing long ago was enough to require a full investigation of Rep. Mark Foley's behavior and aggressive action to protect the young people under their charge. Kirk Fordham, Foley's Chief of Staff, was clearly aware as early as 2003 of the smarmy overtures his boss was making to House Pages. His reported efforts to enlist the involvement of the Speaker's office went for naught. Republican Congressman Jim Kolbe was likewise aware of the seamy behavior of his colleague, but ostensibly, only chastised him "privately." The Speaker's Office admits to an awareness of "overfriendly" (a euphemism for "creepy") e-mails sent by Foley to young boys, but again, they kept the matter between themselves and the perpetrator. Whatever the reasons for their failure to "out" Foley's behavior, their silence can only be deemed acquiescence.

Republicans complain that the revelations of the scandal by Democrats and the liberal media just before the elections are politically motivated and hypocritical. They are right about the hypocrisy. Democrat Congressman Gerry Studds acknowledged that he had had sex with a seventeen-year-old boy who was a House page, but he went on to serve for years in Congress and was lionized upon his retirement. Barney Frank's (D-Mass.) apartment was used as a homosexual brothel, yet he has been repeatedly elected to serve in the House by the people of Massachusetts. That the disclosures may be politically motivated should come as no surprise, however. "Tis the season", and as one wag has noted, "politics ain't beanbag." Besides, Republicans have, themselves, been known to use their opponent's sexual peccadilloes for political advantage (Can you use the words "Monica Lewinsky" and "impeachment" in a sentence?).

There can be no doubt that the Democrats and many in the liberal media would like to use the current scandal to change the balance of power in the Congress. It's just too bad that Republicans have given them so much to work with.

Ambrose was right. "Not only for every idle word must man give an account, but for every idle silence." Sometimes politics and theology aren't that far apart.

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Ken Connor is Chairman of the Center for a Just Society in Washington, DC and a nationally recognized trial lawyer who represented Governor Jeb Bush in the Terri Schiavo case. Connor was formally President of the Family Research Council, Chairman of the Board of CareNet, and Vice Chairman of Americans United for Life. For more articles and resources from Mr. Connor and the Center for a Just Society, go to www.ajustsociety.org. Your feedback is welcome; please email info@ajustsociety.org.