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Strauss-Kahn: Private lives, publicresponsibility
Frank Kaufmann - Wednesday, May 18, 2011
New York- The question of where lies the boundary between private andpublic, especially with regard to elected officials has long been a debate in journalistic theory and taste. The known views of the French in the matterare tested in the Strauss-Kahn arrest. Today’s
New York Times
(May 16, 2011) carries an important conversationentitled,Questions Raised About a Code of Silenceabout the French journalistichabit of protecting the private lives, especially the sexual lives of elected andother public figures. These reflections come in the wake of the attempted rape (among other charges)leveled against IMF head, French presidential contender, Dominique Strauss-Kahn.Mr. Strauss-Kahn is alleged to have attacked sexually a 32-year-old woman at aSofitel hotel in midtown Manhattan on May 14. Grotesque, vile details of themaid’s testimony can be read elsewhere.According to the Times article Marie-Christine Boutin, a deputy in Parliament anda leader of the religious right, remarkably defended Mr. Strauss-Kahn, suggestingthat he was the victim of a trap. This is the same woman who congratulatedPresident Clinton for exploiting the 19 year old daughter of his friend andsupporter, noting “his strength of libido. “He loves women, this man!” Ms. Boutinsaid. “It’s a sign of good health!” The article notes that the French have considered themselves superior as journalists in this regard to US and British journalists, in their nobleaccomplishment of keeping politics “out of the bedroom.”A most recent manifestation of this version of French superiority was Mr. Sarkozysuccessful defense of ‘the nephew of François Mitterrand, as minister of culture,even though he had written a memoir describing in graphic detail how he hadpaid for sex with “boys” in Thailand.”It turns out, in fact, that this uncommon calm over troubling behavior (is it acoincidence that the trans-lingual term to describe not caring is
non chalance
?) isnot only due to this peculiar version of not caring, but in fact is closely tied to thefact that ” libel laws are so protective of private lives that the least intrusion inprint or broadcasting inevitably leads to legal action and heavy fines.” Could it bethen that French journalistic traditions have mistaken cowardice forsophistication?
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