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The Risk Of Moral Superiority, On The Left And Right

Weighing collateral damage in the wake of Oxfam prostitution scandal.

Oxfam at the heart of a new scandal
Oxfam at the heart of a new scandal

Ah, the sweet smell of scandal … Don't you just love it when a renowned institution or individual deemed beyond reproach has their reputation definitively tainted by the discovery of some deep moral failing or criminal action? No matter how appalling the object of the controversy, there is so often that inescapable and surreptitious feeling of satisfaction in seeing those endowed with a moral superiority being brutally brought down to earth.


Yet it's also true that our reactions to the hypocrite-in-the-headlights moment is often colored by our own politics, whether we are more likely to cringe at the family-values righteousness of the religious right or the preachy one-worldness of the left.


The recent accusations of groping against Democratic Senator and women's rights advocate Al Franken recalled the mega sex scandals linked to Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the IMF and stalwart of the French Socialist party who'd said all the right things about gender equality in public.


And now, the latest controversy is not about a single person, but an emblematic organization: Oxfam, one of the world's biggest NGOs, after accusations that the UK-based charity's aid workers frequented prostitutes in Haiti and Chad.

Writing in The Guardian, Gaby Hinsliff puts it plainly: "Think of the least likely place on earth to be plunged into a sexual abuse scandal, and Oxfam shops would surely be high on the list. What could be less predatory, and more wholesome, than a world full of kindly old women patiently sorting jumble? … And yet it's precisely the assumption that the good guys should be above suspicion that has proven so dangerous in the past."


And indeed, the fallout is spreading fast — maybe too fast. Priti Patel, the UK's former International Development Secretary has accused charities — not just Oxfam but several others as well — of creating a "culture of denial," alleging that sexual abuse inside charities, including of minors, was "a wider issue" and that the cases that had been disclosed until now were "just the tip of the iceberg."


Already, the Oxfam scandal has emboldened those who would want to see the government make cuts in foreign aid, gleefully rubbing their hands as they seize on this golden opportunity to push forward with their political agenda that was never about the probity of individuals. In the same way, catching a philandering senator who had preached family values is not in itself proof that those values are without merit.


The truth is that people of all ideas and backgrounds do bad things every day, and that the work that many good people do sadly ends up as collateral damage, as we celebrate those falling from on high. But just remember that savoring the failings of others is often the first step toward those very same headlights of hypocrisy.

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Geopolitics

The Widest Europe: The Meaning Of Moldova In The Face Of Russian Aggression

Europe's leaders are in Moldova as tensions increase with Russia and in Kosovo. The summit is already making an impact as Europe pushes back against Russian interference.

European Political Community Summit in Moldova

The heads of state and government with Volodymyr Zelensky (front, center r), President of Ukraine, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD, second row, center r), stand together for the family photo at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Moldova.

Pierre Haski

-Analysis-

CHISINĀUOne should never underestimate the power of symbols. All of Europe has gathered on Thursday in Moldova, just a few kilometers away from the separatist region of Transnistria, where Russian troops are stationed. The Balkan countries, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and of course, Ukraine, are present as well.

The European Political Community (EPC) is an unprecedented entity launched last year on a French proposal and currently in its second summit. No one knows for sure yet what the future holds for the EPC, but everyone benefits from its informal nature, allowing for valuable exchanges at a crucial moment for Europe.

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The summit comes at an opportune time, as a crisis has erupted between Kosovo and Serbia, leading to the deployment of NATO reinforcements following street clashes. The issue at hand is the appointment of ethnically Albanian mayors in Serbian neighborhoods, a misstep by Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, which has drawn criticism from NATO allies.

The summit has already made an impact, as the Kosovar Prime Minister mentioned the possibility of holding new local elections in the tense areas. His intention was to try to defuse the crisis before Thursday's summit. Yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would meet with the Kosovar Prime Minister alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. That’s what summits are for!

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