To the editor:

The recent report of a congressman from Kansas skinny-dipping in the Sea of Galilee gave me a high degree of consternation or, as a dictionary defines it, “a state of paralyzing dismay.”

How can we as good citizens deal with such news? Do we accept it as a stupid act because we all do stupid things sometimes in our lives even though we are not representing our state in our nation’s capitol or our United States in foreign lands?

Are we to believe congresspeople can vote objectively on legislation related to that foreign land when they have given their ear to its leaders and have been wined and dined at posh hotels costing $1,000 per night and entertained at extravagant dinners? Are we to believe an apology that says they drank wine with dinner but alcohol was not a factor or that it was done because others in their group were doing it? Would the Kansas congressman jump off a cliff or vote “no” on important legislation just because others were doing it?

Does this incident show that these people when campaigning for office, promote themselves, leading us to believe they can walk on water, simply cannot? So what are good citizens to do? I want to know before I go back and bury my head until this incident blows over!