Kernells of truth

The story about Tennessee State Representative Mike Kernell's son David hacking into Governor Sarah Palin's Yahoo email account are very slowly coming to light. Blue Collar Muse has as good an overview as I've seen yet.

Now we'll get to see how political Kernell is or isn't. Now's a great time for him to state publicly that whether his son did this or not this isn't the sort of political climate he finds acceptable. Let him cross the aisle and stand with Governor Palin, and most of America I dare say, who are astonished that her privacy was invaded in this way. Just when you didn't think the race for president couldn't get more tabloid...we've got people with a 'no holds barred' attitude rooting through the bowels of Palin's life. Where are the statements from Obama saying---"Enough! When I advocated for hope and change it wasn't I hope someone finds some dirt on McCain/Palin and I hope that changes the election results to benefit me." Actually what Obama said was "Get in their face." They did and here we are.

We'll also get to see what kind of father Kernell is. If he knows his son is guilty of this crime, will he encourage him to confess and take the consequences like a man or will he aid and abet his son and work all the angles to ensure he gets nothing but a slap on the wrist? His son may have placed him in a very difficult spot. While David may be man enough to take his own lumps....he forgot that we take our families with us wherever we go and they may also suffer the consequences of foolish actions. David may get a light sentence but this may also cost his father his House seat.

If David Kernell did this he is without excuse. Everyone knows you don't open other people's mail, period. Part of being a civilized society is understanding there are boundaries and willingly respecting them. If my front door isn't locked...you don't have a right of entry. If my car window is down you don't have the right to reach in and take my CD player. If David Kernell didn't learn this lesson when he was younger, he needs to learn it now. AND the judicial system needs to make sure that everyone else contemplating such shenanigans gets the message also. Just because you can get to this information doesn't mean you have permission to.

And one has to wonder what it is about Tennessee Democrats? First Congressman Jim Cooper and now State Rep. Mike Kernell's son. Maybe it's the proximity to Internet 'inventor' Al Gore?