I’m from Detroit, and among my city’s disappointing claims to fame like ‘Murder Capitol of the World’, and ‘Nation’s Most Dangerous City’, we can now proudly add to the list ‘Mayoral Sex Scandal.’ Making national news Kwame Kilpatrick, mayor of Detroit has recently been indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice after lying about his affair with Chief of Staff Christine Beatty during a court hearing.
In text messages acquired by the Detroit Free Press Kwame wrote to Beatty:
“I’m madly in love with you,” Kilpatrick wrote on Oct. 3, 2002.
“I hope you feel that way for a long time,” Beatty replied to the mayor. “In case you haven’t noticed, I am madly in love with you, too!”
In the past Kwame, has characterized himself as a “strong family man dedicated to his wife and three young sons.” However, his actions speak otherwise, but like we have seen in many public sex scandals his wife stood by his side. As I try to push my anger towards Kwame aside I attempt to look at his story from a perspective of love.
Here are the questions that come to mind:
- Why did he cheat?
- Is cheating an desire for more power over love?
- Why did his wives stand by his side?
- What message do his actions send to others, like his children?
These questions are difficult to answer because love and relationships are deeply personal. I think the best way to address them is to distinguish between sex and love. They are not the same thing! There is also a difference between infatuation and love. The most important thing about this scandal, besides the effects on the family, is how they influence a general understanding of love that is becoming increasingly publicized by the media: love is fluid, easy transferred and hopeless. Is this the message we want?
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