Look at the SOUTH; their “values”, reactionary conservatism, bigotry, solid “christian” ethics, intolerance, anti-intellectualism, and cotinued vindictiveness for being dragged out of their antebellum stagnation. Isn’t REALLY past time for a them to secede again only this time with our “blessing”?

I have not read Jennie Sanford’s book but having been an abused wife and daughter, I can get a fairly good feel what went on here.  For the record, I am just as intelligent as Mrs. Sanford, though not as accomplished.  I understand when something is inherently wrong, and I know when something should or should not be done.  I know these things intellectually, but not always emotionally, just like Jenny Sanford. 

For example, my mother is and will always be a world-class verbal abuser (so much so that a care assistant and a nurse both warned me to be careful not to be alone with my mother and my own father said that 1200 miles between us would be best.), but I could not believe that my own mother would actually harm me.  I was wrong, but until she actually turned my own daughter against me, try to drive me to suicide through a forced commitment and drugs I did not want, and attempted to kill me through interference with medical care that nearly led to my bleeding to death after a surgical procedure, I would never have believed I was being abused.  And that was after 30 years of abuse, which because it was not physical or sexual, did not meet the level of abuse as I understood it at the time.

In Jenny Sanford’s case, apparently, she was heavily influenced by church officials who did not believe in anything other than a woman is chattel and must allow a man to do whatever he wants.  This seems to be a common theme among some Evangelical religious folks, but it is tantamount to psychological abuse, and should be criminally outlawed.  But, for the woman who trusts her church, this seems reasonable.

Since Jenny Sanford was both a political and religious person, the two seemed mutually compatible.  It leads to a kind of blinders approach to your own emotional health and well-being.  You turn off the intellectual alarm bells, and listen to the emotional support group (in this case the church advisers), and you get hurt, and hurt badly.  You trust the wrong people for the right reasons - to keep a relationship together, especially if you have children.

It would seem that at some point Jenny Sanford turned on the alarm bells at last, and moved on and out of this man’s life.  I hope he finds out just what a fool is when his Argentinian soulmate dumps him, but I am sure it is going to be a long time before Jenny Sanford goes back to church or listens to religious marriage counseling in place of common decency and human respect.

The author asks (and provides a start of a good reply), “Why would a woman so obviously smart, well-educated, successful and attractive allow herself to be treated so badly for so long? Sanford’s situation may be uniquely public, but she is certainly not alone in allowing herself to be undervalued—indeed, in undervaluing herself.”

Abuse is rampant in American society. (The “empire” couldn’t exist without conquering and continually manipulating itself.)  Whether physical or emotional, racism is abuse. The same for sexism as sexism is abuse.  Child and spousal abuse IS ABUSE.

Abuse is learned by many children through “family values”, reinforced in popular culture in a myriad of ways.  It is a form of self-oppression in which a person de-values themselves and by being rewarded for being so.  We learn to admire and respect our oppressors.  And the unfortunate senator’s wife’s ethical, moral, and emotional compass became so disoriented over time, that she was willingly accepted what almost appeared, to her, as “normal”.  She knew deep down that even if wrong, she was right.

Nobody, absolutely nobody has considered the moment when some mid-life married men and women look at their life and greatly disturbed ponder: “what on Earth has happened to the 7-year, or 14-year old me”? “Where has he/she gone”? I have gone through that moment and most of my friends have too. It is utterly wrenching.
Some of my friends have accepted that the 7-year or 14-year-old was gone. Others, like myself, have changed our lives and revived some of what we were as children and young adults. I am not a psychiatrist or psychologist but I have a hunch that this is exactly what happened to Governor Sanford. I also have a hunch that Jennie intuitively knows this.

Jesus, what did Marie Cocco have the day off for the man-bashing article? Perhaps Ms. Marcus should look up the word ‘karma’.

Role model/heroine or just another materialistic gold digger? I thought Mark Sanford was the sort of stuff women claim to be attracted to.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-february-8-2010/jenny-sanford

She’s as guilty as Bernie Madoffs wife.

Isn’t Mrs. Sanford’s story simply about greed? She chose to stay in that marriage for what it brought her (publicly, privately, emotionally?) ... and what she would lose by leaving or kicking the bum out. Her as a victim, especially a helpless victim, is a stretch..

It’s very probable that lacking Mr. Sanford’s public outing and humiliation she would not yet have made any fuss. And I doubt that what anyone has yet said or ever will say about the Sanfords, their private lives or their politics will ever be the complete truth.

I think much too much attention has been given to these people and their sordid lives.. and here I’ve just added some more.

Thanks.

A Victim, After All
Posted on Feb 7, 2010
By Ruth Marcus

Thank you Ruth Marcus for a straight forward
infomercial & not your usual political fecal vomiting.
I hope you were smart enough not to GARDASIL your
daughters.