Patrick Kennedy just did a brave thing in my view: he admitted an embarrassing problem publicly and took personal responsibility for solving it. Rep. Kennedy hurt no one, aside from possibly himself and those close to him. The substances and reaction he attributes to them were not, apparently, obtained illegally, nor were they illicit. Nevertheless with this politician, the buck stops on his desk:
[Link] Kennedy, who has struggled with addiction and depression, said he had checked into the Mayo Clinic over the Christmas holidays and returned to Congress "reinvigorated and healthy." The congressman said he became concerned about his condition after the Thursday morning car accident. "I simply do not remember getting out of bed, being pulled over by the police, or being cited for three driving infractions," Kennedy said. "That's not how I want to live my life. And that's not how I want to represent the people of Rhode Island."
Chronic depression is not a voluntary state, it is in fact the exact opposite: It is a curse, neurological in nature and routinely inherited without choice, that too many people labor with everyday of their lives. It is a devastating
disease. Even worse, addiction is often considered a crime in this nation, but again, it is a
medical condition. Currently, there are thousands of men and women serving lengthy prison sentences for bad decisions exacerbated by poor availability of medical treatment, an utterly counter productive cultural stigma, and a failed legal strategy which ruins the careers of both medical doctors and the lives of patients. Perhaps the good congressman can shed some light on all that, and maybe one day we as a people can seriously address the real underlying issues behind such diseases. Those too quick to condemn could take a lesson in integrity from Patrick Kennedy.
Yes, the right-wing will go into attack mode, conveniently forgetting their own dark horses. Facing rock bottom poll numbers, burgeoning scandals, and verifiable incompetence, what else can they do? But if privately they would began to insist on similar standards of honesty and openness among their own, maybe some good will come of this example.
I'm normally a skeptical fellow, I tend to assume the worst of our politicians. It may be that this explanation is not the full story. But given the Congressman's refreshing statement of responsibility and intent to resolve his dilemma--not to mention the guts it took to do it on live TV--I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and I applaud him for his candor. In short, I wish Mr. Kennedy the best and until I have reason to think otherwise, I for one believe him.