Re ex= Representative Foley pursuing young boys, it appears that now that he’s out of the closet as a gay man he’s dragging every “it’s not really my fault” excuse along with him (ie “I was abused by a Priest” - “I’m an alcoholic”.)
Should real alcoholics who have battled the disease be pissed that Foley is quite possibly using this disease as a convenient, explanatory fig leaf to cover his moral and behavioral indiscretions?
Not to defend that slimeball, but my Mom was an alcoholic (died of it, in fact) and until her later days, few knew it.
From your cite:"Another longtime friend, though, agreed that Foley had a drinking problem, and a psychiatrist who specializes in addiction noted that it’s not unusual for alcoholics to hide their drinking."
Checking into treatment the minute this thing hit just reeks of spin to me as does the admission of childhood molestation.
If he’s truly an abuse survivor and an alcoholic I guess you could describe this as his “hitting bottom” and finally getting help but it just seems awfully convenient to me.
Exactly. I’m addicted to many things, alcohol being among them, and I’ve never had even the slightest inclination toward the kind of behavior he’s exhibited. Not to say that alcohol can’t make it easier to act on inappropriate impulses, but you’ve got to have those desires / thoughts to begin with. This guy is as full of it as that other well known ,contrite alcoholic, Mel Gibson.
Before I go on, I am not defending the guy here and in the other two Foley threads (in IMHO and the Pit), I see noone defending him as he is definitely not deserving of any sort of defense.
But from your link:
There is another thread going on about alcoholism and most agree that the true definition of being an alcoholic is unknown. But it is pretty much known that some people do have drinking problems and it goes unknown by close friends and associates. When I was in the Marines I would find out years after being friends with someone that they had a little Southern Comfort in the their coffee every morning, and these were people I saw and spoke with daily.
Of course the statement from his Roth (his lawyer) is pure politics, with Foley trying to get pin some reason for his problems and mistakes. But I wouldn’t say that it is fact that he is faking alcoholism. But HE IS A SCUMBAG and I wish the government will find a way to prosecute, if they can prove laws have been broken.
I got the faking vibe, too. What better place than rehab to avoid having to make personal statement? I was also annoyed by the “he’s an an alcoholic, he was abused by a clergyman and, by the way he’s coming out as gay, but he’s not making any excuses for what he did” spin on things.
All that aside, though, I can confirm that it is entirely possible to be an alcoholic without having anyone ever see you take a drink.
I’m not assuming he’s faking yet, but I did describe his admission to rehab as a “chicken run.” I think the dude’s credibility as a genuine human being is thin at best, personally, and frankly, I hope whatever treatment center he’s in has someone who has some training in treating sexual addiction/compulsion issues. I think that’s the real issue, and the alcoholism is the socially acceptable thing to say.
astro. Try to phrase an OP such as you started here in a slightly different manner. If you are truly interested in trying to conduct a poll of who thinks he’s faking, then ask it that way.
But, to start out by stating flatly in the title–“Are genuine alcoholics angry that Foley is faking alcoholism to explain his behavior?” that Foley is faking his alcoholism doesn’t fly. Had you used “possibly” in the title, then you’ve got a winner.