Sucker Punching Hunter Biden
Character Attacks on the Family of Candidates Demonstrate the Bankruptcy of Decency in American Politics.
With the presidential race in full swing, the unprecedented onslaught against Hunter Biden has placed a spotlight on the bankruptcy of decency in American politics. The only remaining son of Vice President Biden, Hunter has been targeted in one of the nastiest character assassination operations in political history.
It begs one simple question for anyone with a moral compass: how far are we willing to go?
The relentless attack on Hunter Biden is beyond tasteless. It crosses into territory never before explored in the filth of politically-based character attacks.
The candidates themselves have been considered fair game for character attacks but such were the ugly side of politics. It was accepted but it was not celebrated.
Candidates’ family members, on the other hand —especially those staying out of the public sphere in particular — were considered out of bounds. These tactics were considered fringe and unclean. Those maintaining any air of respectability kept a healthy distance from the operatives involved in the gutter of campaigning.
The targeting of Hunter Biden is a new low.
The disgust with these attacks includes the disregard of his life story. It is rarely discussed; too few know Hunter Biden’s background. This is intentional. Were his life circumstances brought to light, people would be ashamed to take part in this politically-driven character attack.
Hunter Biden has taken a series of blows that would lay anyone on the proverbial canvas. The absence of basic decency is simply appalling given the hand he’s been dealt.
It is demoralizing to witness.
An old friend engaged me in a private message dialogue on social media last week. Despite the lack of anything personal, the political back and forth brought me from a place of interest into a state of fury.
And to be candid, it left me feeling removed and isolated. After closing my laptop, I sat there for awhile; stewing bitter in my loneliness, trying to understand what just happened.
This I find confusing: why do these moments make me feel lonely? Of all emotional reactions, why loneliness? It seems illogical but this reaction is an occurrence of some frequency.
I believe it’s a reminder of my own isolation when some hard line has been crossed; an expectation of decency has failed to hold. It is a demoralizing but regular realization that empathy is in short supply.
The words of contempt I read from my friend are unnecessary to repeat. But they were devoid of any humanity. There was no perspective. Worst of all, it was real. I appreciate shock-value, but this was heartfelt. My friend categorically failed to see another human being as he castigated from his imaginary high ground.
I have read that it is common for true empaths to struggle with this feeling of loneliness. As you realize the sheer disconnect between one person’s judgment and another person’s suffering, it forces an immediate re-evaluation of ugliness in the world. I suppose the lack of empathy leads to the feeling of isolation. We’re simply not all playing by the same rules.
This friend of mine had never heard the story. I explained how Hunter and his brother were hospitalized from the same car accident that killed both his mom and his sister.
I went on to explain how the same brother Beau — the only brother he had left — was diagnosed with brain cancer and died, just a few years ago.
Watching today’s politics, the truly empathic struggle with these facts. They give context to the suffering of another human being and the sickening disregard of those playing their politics.
It pains me to think of this guy having to cope with the loss of his mom and his sister at such a young age; the striking slap in the face with mortality at such a tender and innocent point in life. I imagine the survivor’s guilt and the haunting, lifelong questions about purpose.
I cannot help but also imagine — in vivid detail — how much he relied on his brother Beau. His only brother, throughout the rest of his childhood; it seems obvious how close the two would have been. Vulnerable together, protecting each other. Doubling down on one another for support and friendship as two brothers grew up.
Then, during his father’s final years as Vice President, he learns that his brother has cancer. Having made it back safe from serving in Iraq, Hunter Biden’s brother is diagnosed with brain cancer. He watched that vicious disease tear his brother down and finally, take him away too.
I cannot help but cringe at this: the utter frustration and pain; the sadness in his loneliness.
Yet, some don’t flinch at all. They have learned to dehumanize, even toward fellow Americans.
People with true empathy are few and far between. More scary is that these people, the empathetic, are the glue holding a reasonable society together. While some are good at playing the part, many people are on the spectrum of sociopathy. Put simply, if it’s not happening to them, they just don’t care. And a troubling number seem to enjoy watching other people suffer.
So he’s the son of the Vice President. Basic human decency dictates that absolutely irrelevant in light of the brutal set of circumstances threading his life story. How would anyone respond? Regardless of politics, your response to that question defines you — and flippant, judgmental responses illustrate something ugly in my book.
I didn’t have to lose my brother to comprehend the pain from those multiple blows. To an empathetic soul, that life story is haunting.
Yet, having lost my own little brother, it sickens me that much more. This last decade has been an emotional and philosophical rollercoaster from hell. Unimaginable how much worse it would have been — had my life become a target for the sick and twisted underside of politics in America — while I dealt with that reality. Basic empathy recognizes my limited experience. I’ll never know the blows Hunter Biden has taken.
But I know one thing for sure: it is wrong.
On that spectrum of sociopathy, these baseless attacks are on the far end. Nothing but cruel to perform a political character hit on any relative of a candidate; let alone a guy who is mourning the recent death of his brother. This is a lifetime of tragedy under spotlight most cannot begin to imagine. Endured by a guy who has candidly admitted his struggles with all of it — publicly — despite the fact that no-one should ever have to endure the indignity of explaining that struggle. To chalk it up as “politics” is weak, but it highlights those with no moral compass.
Sucker punching a guy as he struggles to get up is low. Sucker punching that guy when he’s not even in the fight? I have no words for this.
There should be nonpartisan agreement on that basic moral principle. Candidates are fair game, but hands off their family and lay off the wounded — especially when they’re not even in the ring.
Sadly, the truth of it all is to paraphrase Oscar Wilde: if I had to explain it, you won’t understand. Thank God for the empathic.
