As a person who steadfastly defended against the persistent perception of politics as "dirty," I made a decision in 2013 to leave major election politics primarily because of the low level to which politics the Virgin Islands, even then, had descended – often out of control of even the candidates themselves. My decision to run for governor was a departure of conscience from that decision, but I have returned to it.
With the events of the last few days Virgin Islands politics has reached a new low, but, sadly, it is only a reflection of the deterioration of societal values generally in our territory. Nothing is sacred, not even the privacy of a married couple in their own home! Yet we let other actions that seriously threaten the fabric of our society go with hardly the bat of an eyelash.
Many of us work so hard to convince women to run for positions of leadership, but the age old bias and pervasive double standard continue to be far greater barriers than those of motherhood and family. Unfortunately today men can still do all kinds of untoward things outside of marriage, the bounds of decency and even the law and have those actions overlooked. Whoever made the decision to flood the internet with the pictures and videos, whether motivated by politics or anger over some real or perceived injury, is doing a disservice, not a service to us.
Please do not be distracted by what I consider an egregious act. Judge Delegate Plaskett on her work and service and not on the malicious, and possibly criminal, attack of a malcontent.