Side Roads: Now it’s Silda’s call

So much for Silda Spitzer's law degree from Harvard. So much for being the mother of three daughters.

So much for a lot of things Silda Spitzer might be.

For now, at least, she is "poor Silda," wife of Eliot Spitzer, the newly resigned governor of New York embroiled in a scandal involving a call girl.

Surely, Silda Spitzer deserves better.

Not only is she now seen as a victim, but she's also being taken to task for standing beside her husband, at least in the literal sense, when he recently spoke publicly. Whether she's standing beside him figuratively, only she knows.

The sad part is, seeing her as a victim seems to be the better part of some people's observations. She's being judged pretty harshly in some quarters for seemingly allowing herself to be a doormat.

There was even a talk show on in which the question was being asked, could Mr. Spitzer possibly be addicted to sex? (No, he's just an incredibly selfish man.)

Maybe his next move should be to enter rehab. It works for everyone else.

So far, I haven't heard anyone say it's actually her fault in some way, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone did.
I think I was most taken aback by a writer who referred to her as "dowdy."

Dowdy?

She looks pretty doggone elegant to me, so if someone's calling her "dowdy," what would they call me? Rifle range practice?

The writer also wrote that she was glaring during Spitzer's press conference. I saw part of that, and she looked more like she'd lost a lot of sleep lately. She looked serious, she looked earnest. Besides, if she did glare, who could blame her?

But, dowdy? Has it come to that, then?

Women can be intelligent, educated, cultured, hard-working and an asset to society, but if they're past the "Playmate" age, which I think is 23, their worth lessens considerably, it seems.

I actually sensed more sympathy for the call girl than for Silda on a couple of the news shows, about how sad it was that she had been lured into prostitution.

Yes, it is sad, but if she were not young and attractive, would she be seen as another victim or as just another prostitute?

Whatever happens to Mr. Spitzer and his lady friend, Silda may come out of this better than one might think.

She's got a Harvard law degree and undoubtedly knows how to use it.

If she chooses not to, for whatever reason, that's nobody's business but her own.

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Persinger is community editor for The Tribune. She may be reached at (812) 523-7063 or jpersinger@trib town.com.