Naughty heroes

This is a piece I wrote a while back, but wasn’t sure I wanted to post on the blog – partly because I am not certain I agree with it 100% myself.  But, since I have nothing else lined up for today, and since this blog is as much to encourage discussion and debate as anything else, here it is:
If Julian Assange is, indeed, guilty of sexual misconduct, he is in good company.  He can join the ranks of almost every famous or powerful man since the dawn of time.  Women are naturally attracted to men who boast fame, power or notoriety.  Men, being men, are inclined to take advantage of these new opportunities.

Linderborg, though, says there is a widespread sense in Sweden that Assange’s rise to fame fuelled his libido and ego.
“Plenty of women are attracted by his underdog status and the supposed danger of spending time with him. He has several women on the go at once. One person told me he screws more often than he eats,” Linderborg said.

Since time immemorial, it has been understood by the wives of the rich, famous and powerful, that their husbands would be shared.  Whether it was in the form of concubines, other wives or mistresses, polygamy has been one of the perks of prestige.
Generally speaking, the public is accepting of such indulgences.  Even if, long after their deaths, not only excesses, but perversions would come to light.  It seems that, for some odd reason, people expect politicians (who are not known for their integrity or morality) to exist on a higher plane than the rest of us.  So we are regularly treated to sex scandals featuring “respectable” leaders of each political party.  But much as I loath politicians, I would not hold them more accountable for their sexual indiscretions than the common man.  There are plenty of other deeds they are guilty of that would condemn them to the fiery bowels of hell.
Those of us who are pro-white are quick to blame Martin Luther King for his extramarital dalliances.  But prominent men of the white nationalist movement are also alleged to have seduced the wives of other men as opportunity presented itself.  Although blacks are far more likely to give in to their sexual urges, no race holds a monopoly on such conduct.
Name a famous man and beneath that facade of respectability can be found – a man.  The odds of that man’s sexual preferences being the same as yours are slim to none.  This might make him a pervert in your eyes.  You might be one in his.  One man’s fetishes are another man’s perversions.  Let us not be quick to judge, for nobody gets to choose his sexual preferences ahead of time.  It is also quite normal for men to push the limits of morality when the doors of sexual adventure are flung open for them.
I am not saying that, when it comes to sex, anything goes.  My point is that, since almost all of us are naturally sexual beings, we should give some slack when it comes to this sort of thing.  Hypocrisy, stealing, murder and blatant corruption are what we should be more concerned about; few of us are born with such inclinations.  Many great men have been alcoholics.  Others have been drug addicts.  Some have had serious mental diseases.  The list goes on – but this does not detract from their greatness.  I think it is possible to recognize a man’s greatness, and respect his contributions to his field of expertise, even though he turns out to be tainted in some other respect.
It seems the definition of “rape” is rather broad in Sweden.  That is to say, it is the broad who defines it.  So I would not be quick to judge Assange in these matters.  Instead, let us judge him by his noteworthy deeds.  At least for the time being.