News filtered through various channels recently that Toron-to’s mayor Rob Ford, long suspected of being involved with illegal drugs, had smoked crack cocaine. And by his own admission, no less. Needless to say there was pressure from all sides for Ford to step down from his post overseeing Canada’s biggest city. Such is not in any way surprising or out of the norm. What was out of the norm, however, was the fact that he has decided to sit tight.
I won’t bother to give a reason as to why Ford won’t resign, even after admitting to using one of America’s most nefarious drugs. But I do wonder if Ford and other holders of public office like him have an idea of the kind of moral responsibility they owe the rest of the society. It seems all they want is to be famous, to be powerful, to have influence. I think it’s high time someone informed these people that there is a price to pay for many of these things. They’re willing to forego sleep and much of their privacy to live in the public eye with their hands on the purse strings, but it seems they’re not so willing to relinquish their bad habits.
Anthony Weiner wouldn’t stop sexting. Michael Vicks wouldn’t give up his passion for dog fighting. Arnold Schwarzenegger wouldn’t give up his extramarital affairs. And now Rob Ford wouldn’t stop doing crack. How did any of them ever think things would end well? How would they think they would be able to hold on to their aspirations and their deviant interests at the same time? They forgot that if you want to live in a castle of ice, you might have to give up the pleasure of lighting a fire.
Meanwhile, many young people look up to those who occupy positions of influence. Not too many people would bat an eyelid if Lady Gaga was caught in bed with a gorilla, but she’s a weirdo musician, not a world leader. I’m pretty sure it would be a different story if Barack Obama or someone of his stature was caught in a sex tape.
If you’re nursing ambitions of being a politician or a respected figure in the society, you’ll have to give up your bad behaviour, the consequences will catch up with you. They always do.
Olajide Jatto is a software engineer and writer based in Dublin.
