Wednesday, May 24, 2006

... but some animals are more equal than others

I'm not sure what to say about this exchange. A 20-something student (part of the much-excoriated Generation Y, I believe) sacrifices her moment in the sun to say something she thinks is important about a public figure - a member of the Keating 5 who is recycling his remarks for her commencement, no less - and is rewarded for her temerity by a career hanger-on and political hack. One pictures Mr. Salter and his fellow brownshirts smoldering with rage that this, this ... student! would dare question the actions of an elected official in a representative democracy. Apparently some of her fellows went so far as to suggest that Bob Kerrey was a war criminal after he, well, confessed to being a war criminal (registration required). Oh, the humanity. Hey, people, he snuffed a few civvies. It's not like he was on a Swift boat or smoked some cheeb at Oxford or anything really, you know, BAD.

Well, I guess I did know what to say about this exchange. I don't agree with everything Ms. Rohe said, but I damn sure agree with her right to say it. What a brave thing to do. And what a small response from someone who is paid to know better.

1 comment:

Tripp said...

To steal from HLK (who was stealing from my earlier quotation) I will paraphrase Ice T:

Goddam what's a sister gotta do to get a message through to the red white and you?

Yeah I don't really agree with some of what she says (lots of it sounds really 60s to me) but engagement rather than belittling and attacking is the way to go here.