The Hiller Instinct: Law and Bulger

Dressed in the robes of a prince of the church, Cardinal Law is imposing... Just as William Bulger is impressive in the academic cap and gown reflecting his rank as a university president. But, now, Cardinal Law seems more pathetic than powerful and more insidious than impressive... Just as Bulger, a prince of state politics, looks more committed to serving himself than serving the public.

Bernard Cardinal Law, Archbishop of Boston, March 10, 2002
"I wish to address the issue of sexual abuse."

...the cardinal tells us, but who still believes he intends to address it honestly when thousands of pages of church documents say what Law really wanted was secrecy and deceit?

William Bulger, President, UMass, Last Friday
"Certainly there's no intention on my part to show disrespect to the committee or to the institution of Congress."

...Bulger told a congressional committee investigating the unholy alliance between his fugitive brother and the FBI. But by refusing to answer any questions, Bulger did disrespect all the people congress represents... and that's all of us! So Bulger twists the law to protect himself and his family, no matter the cost to the public, just as Law twists our trust in the church to protect himself, while taking as little responsibility as possible for his victims:

Bernard Cardinal Law, February 8, 2002
"I am aware of the ongoing review of our records and am saddened by the fact there were some individuals that needed to be removed that had not been."

As law wraps himself in delusion, Bulger wraps himself in the U.S. Constitution:

William Bulger
"One of the Fifth Amendment's basic functions is to protect innocent men, who might be ensnared by ambiguous circumstances. I find myself in such circumstances."

How so? What would be ambiguous or confusing about the truth? And isn't the truth that Bulger and Law are just wrong?

Bernard Cardinal Law , January 24, 2002
"The solution to this problem as I see it does not include my resignation as archbishop."

The cardinal's present is Bulger's future. Law's fight to hold on to his position of power seems to be ending, while Bulger's is just beginning. Both are destined to lose much more than the prestige they've already lost, because both did all they could to avoid the truth, when the truth was all we wanted.