Sunday, August 17, 2008

Open Letter to Elizabeth Edwards

Cancer, a cheating husband and nasty tabloids putting your business in the streets... just one of those problems would emotionally cripple lots of women. I'm praying for you, girl. Just in case you don't have the kind of family and friends that I have, I want to offer my support. You wanna pray? I'm there for you. You wanna have a tabloid burning party? I'll bring the matches. Wanna make fun of that Reille's light-socket hair-don't? I'll make up a game called, pin the hair on the hoochie and we'll have a good ole time.

I have to admit, part of me wants you to leave him. Maybe I never took the "til death do you part" vow seriously enough. I just think that if more high profile women took a stand and in the process, took half of the cheater's fortune and his reputation, maybe it would serve as a lesson to other weak and greedy men. When you stray, YOU PAY! The realist in me, knows there will always be cheaters among us. It must have been a problem back in Biblical days too. After all, the commandment banning adultery was chisled into Moses' tablet for a reason.

Can you blame John for ALLEGEDLY trying to cover it up? Most men do. Guys without the obvious financial means and influential friends that your hubby has, rely on much more primitive excuses and schemes. Luckily for the cheaters I know they aren't famous enough to attract the attention of Larry King or "The National Enquirer." It is much easier to cover your tracks and ask for forgiveness when the entire nation isn't reading about your affair and alleged love child. It appears that you plan to overlook John's indiscretions. Well, women stay with unfaithful men for various reasons. To each her own, but I'm sure the conversations you are having with the kids can't be easy.

And about the kids... as each unfaithful politician, actor, musician and athlete is exposed and we watch the dutiful wives blame the homewreckers and the media, what are we teaching the next generation about relationships? Perhaps this is a lesson in forgiving. Maybe forgiveness is the silver lining that Kobe Bryant's wife and Hillary Clinton discovered. Maybe we're teaching them that preserving your place in society as the wife of a powerful man is more important than holding your man to a lofty standard. I wish I had the answer.

All I know is that our nation and your family is not better off because this story is making headlines around the globe. If the media had finally given you the evidence you needed to walk away, I'd have a reason to applaud. If this story had made such a disgusting example out of John Edwards that other politicians would be scared faithful, I'd have a reason to applaud. There was nothing to gain by exposing the affair of John and Reille.

Right now all I have are tears for a woman who is fighting a deadly illness while raising small children and facing the betrayal of her husband and his closest aides. For the record, I ignored the story the first few times it turned up as I looked for interesting topics for the show. I didn't turn a blind eye because I'd been a John Edwards supporter. I ignored it because as a woman who has been cheated on, I had hoped to spare you and the kids the double whammy of dealing with a private issue in such a hurtful, public way.

God Bless, Elizabeth. This too shall pass.


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2 comments:

midnightbunny said...

I'm with you on this Ramona ... 100%. What John Edwards has done to his wife and family is shameful, and should not be something the media flashes across the screen and papers for everyone to pick apart like a trashy novel. The damage is done, and it's his wife Elizabeth (and their children), who are suffering the most. I feel for them, and I although I'm not shocked to see yet another politician cheat on his wife, I am shocked that it seems to be the norm, rather than an isolated instance.

Pamela said...

Ramona,

I must say you really hit it right on this one. My mom beat breast cancer twice and my dad was a rock through it all. However, if I ever found out that he cheated on my mom during that time, I don't think I would ever speak to him again. Respect would be gone. Another thing I wanted to add was what my mom shared with me from her group therapy with other breast cancer survivors. Several husbands left their wives because they a) "couldn't handle it", b)"didn't believe their wives were 'women' anymore without breasts". How can they be so insensitive?! I never want to hear that women are the weaker sex again!!!!!