Tom DeLay as Martyr

Are you ready for this?

Tom DeLay is a martyr. Also, in the new world with the cold, cold sun, words speak louder than actions.

Here's what I learned in the linked article:

That’s right. He’s being persecuted by (wait for it) “enemies of virtue” because he is a Christian.

To make sure I haven’t lost my mind, I turned to the Oxford American Dictionary (the Heald Colleges Edition) for a definition of virtue. This is what I found:

Virtue (vur-choo) n. 1. moral excellence, goodness, a particular form of this, patience is a virtue. 2. chastity, especially of a woman. 3. a good quality, an advantage, the seat has the virtue of being adjustable. By or in virtue of, by reason of, because of, he is entitle to a pension by virtue of his long service. make a virtue of necessity, to do with a good grace what one must do anyway.

And I’m sorry, but based upon that definition, enemies of virtue would stand all out against Mr. DeLay. So, having no other choice, I threw the dictionary away.

This is a man who:

Employed as his deputy chief of staff Tony Rudy who recently pleaded guilty of conspiracy charges for accepting payments from Jack Abramoff. Rudy also corrupted public officials and defraud clients.

Virtuous?

Employed as his spiritual advisor and chief of staff Edwin Buckham an evangelical minister who turned lobbyist after leaving DeLay’s staff. Buckham is now in trouble as a result of Rudy’s plea bargain. Buckham and his wife received almost one million dollars from a NONPROFIT called the US Family Network. Buckham created US Family Network as a front group funded by clients of Abramhoff.

Virtuous?

Buckham’s family received 1/3 of the total disbursements made by the US Family Network.

But you might guess that family benefited from the remaining 2/3ds, right?

Nope.

Here’s who did:

Russian oil profiteers (well, families use oil)
Sweatshops in Saipan (children build self esteem when they have a job)
Native American Casinos (game night for the family)

Family values. Virtue. Spirituality. I have a lot to learn (and so does my dictionary). For example, as I understand virtue now, even the Duke Lacrosse team (Duke sucks) is virtuous.