Michael Atherton wrote:
WizardMarks wrote:
The nature of friendship is that you support your friend
through the ordeal implied in a visit from the FBI--or any
other ordeal for that matter. If your friend has made a
mistake which could brand him/her as having committed a
felony, then the support of friends is more important than
ever. Supporting a friend does not condone any crime
that may/might/could be construed as having been committed, it
supports the human connection without which we die.
I can understand this level of commitment for a parent
or a priest, but I think that some point we have to
take a stand on the ethical behavior of the people
we support or associate with.
Never let it be said that I, Wizard Marks, aspire to be priestly. I
ascertained early in life that I couldn't be pope and he had all the
cool clothes and doodads.
You can say to a friend, "Ya know, that was a bad thing, the worst. I
would never have thought you could do such a thing." You can also say,
"You were cruisin for a bruisin and I thought you had better sense. I'm
angry with you and hugely disappointed." You can even yell and shout and
throw a right royal fit. But if that person is a friend, do you walk
away or do you say, "I cannot even look at you I'm so angry and
disappointed with your behavior right now."
I think that the unconditional support of unethical behavior
does not result in positive consequences for our society.
Who said anything about behavior, you're supporting the human connection
under stress. It's easy being a friend when everything's running
smoothly, more fun too. Where do you place the bar that says, "I can't
be your friend because of your behavior. It makes me so sad." God knows,
when a person is at his/her depths and you really are friends, what kind
of friend are you really?
WizardMarks, Central
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