The Cookie Crumbled

Xoff told us at the beginning of the week about the cryptic fortune cookie. Said cookie crumbled today.

I have to admit, when I first learned of the story last night, I experienced more than a bit of schadenfreude, and I still do to a certain extent. After all, this blogsite was originally inspired by McBride's inane rants and her propensity for foolishness. And there is they way she can be so judgmental and condemning of anyone that crosses her.

But I chose not to post on it last night, partially because I was working on my usual Walker tirade, and partially because I wanted time to digest the news and process what it means.

I have seen some say that this wasn't even newsworthy, but they couldn't be more wrong. This affair included the Milwaukee Police Chief for goodness sake. And the ramifications of this are overwhelming.

The most obvious is that both of these people have caused their families great, and maybe, insurmountable pain. Yes, I am aware of the story of McBride and Bucher and how they ended up being together, but there are still the kids to think of.

Then there are the people and other entities that will end up being collateral damage from their poor decision making.

Flynn is supposed to be the leader of Milwaukee's best. How is he supposed to command respect or hand out discipline when the men and women who serve under him know that he didn't live up to the standards of a law enforcement officer.

And to think he was supposed to be on his way to really great things in the law enforcement field. Who knows what he did to that now?

And what will the community think of the police due to Flynn's behavior? In many areas, there is at best a strained relationship with the police. Does anyone really think that this will improve when Flynn gives them another reason to disrespect them, however irrational that reason might be?

And what of McBride? She was supposed to be an instructor of journalistic ethics, for pity's sake! Do all of her students get a refund now? I know I would be feeling confused and/or bitter if the person who was supposed to be teaching me the importance of ethics turned out to be such a hypocrite.

And then there is the Waukesha Freeman and Milwaukee Magazine, who she has written for. When there was a rash of columnists at the big newspapers that were being busted for plagiarism and/or for just making things up, their employers suffered. I could easily see these two going through the same kind of problems. That is even more so for MM, since Bruce Murphy took the stance of "So what?"

I would say that the real characters of these paramours came out after this issue became public.

Flynn stood up like an adult and admitted his wrong, took full blame for it, and offered a public apology. What he did was still obviously wrong, but he made the best of a bad situation. It doesn't excuse his behaviors, but it does make one more willing to forgive, if not forget.

McBride on the other hand, first said nothing, then came out with a lame missive that showed she was only feeling remorse over the damage she did to her reputation rather than the damage she caused everyone else. This shows her to not be a hypocrite, but a rather shallow, selfish woman that is not worthy of anyone's sympathy.

But then again, we've known that for some time now. Just ask the gang at the Folsom Street Festival.