Things like this tick me off
Today's WaPo announces in a page one article that Senator Allen only learned last month of his Jewish heritage. I think this fact goes a long way toward explaining his reaction at the debate to a question that dragged his mother into the Senate election and opened up a matter he was likely still digesting.
However, in the text of the article there is a quote from Mark Rozell that I found both annoying and personally insulting. Commenting on the story, Rozell said: "It's strange that George Allen wasn't more curious about his own heritage and a lot of people are wondering why."
I suggest Mr. Rozell is wrong on both counts.
Point 1: I know from experience that it isn't strange that Allen wasn't more curious
Children follow their parents lead, and if they don't show an interest in a topic children typically do not either...And this habit does not automatically stop when the child becomes an adult. Mother Allen pretty much shut down discussion of her past, and her children chose over the years not to press her. This is not an uncommon thing to do.
I a personal example. My late mother was adopted. She was born to a large West Virginia mining family in the early days of the Great Depression. They couldn't feed another mouth...So they put her up for adoption. She never attempted to search for her birth roots, although my father offered to hire folks who could find out. Her reason: If they didn't care enough to keep me, I don't care enough to find them.
I didn't know until I was 16 that she was adopted, and since she had no desire to start a search I had no compelling reason to do so. In fact, no one in the extended family ever talked about it. Any details I learned about Mom's birth family came through my grandaunt.
I do wonder on occasion, especially as my kids grow. Apparently the birth family name was Bennett, which-combined with Mom's fair skin, freckles, and red hair-has often caused me to think I have Irish blood. This thought is often enhanced by the near fact (gross generalization to follow) that I can talk on the inhale...And loquaciousness has long been a trait attributed to the Irish.
But have I ever searched? Nope. There is always some real world issue more pressing, some project, some problem. It would be interesting to know, but it is a small curiosity rather than a compelling desire. Does this somehow make me a bad person? I doubt it, just as I cannot see how George Allen's failure to quiz his mother on a subject she didn't want to discuss somehow hinders his bid for office.
Which leads me to the second thought:
Point 2: A lot of folks are not wondering about Allen's lack of curiosity
In fact, the only folks who are wondering are people who have a vested interest in focusing attention on his background. This group is limited to the Webb Campaign- which seems intent on not discussing any issues, and journalists/pundits-who need new material for stories.
The rest of us are waiting for the discussion of issues to begin...We can care less about Allen's ethnic background. We want to hear about how these men intend to represent us. We want to hear about how they will vote on the matters that impact our lives in the here and now.
And that is why Rozell's comment ticks me off...Because not only do I find it personally insulting, but it enhances the current path of focusing on anything but the issues facing this country and commonwealth...And those issues are what I want this campaign to focus on.
Shoot, even last year's Kilgore execution advertisements caused discussion about issues and concerns surrounding the death penalty. But this year, there is no real issue discussion, and that is where these campaigns should be focusing.
Unfortunately, this seems unlikely to happen. The Allen campaign has not regained control of the new cycles. The Webb campaign could care less about issues, instead pushing personalities-their next step will be to claim Allen is apicoris...Which will lead to another news cycle where issues are shut out. I can only assume from this they think they have to focus on personality matters because they will lose a campaign that focuses on the issues.
How in the world does all this enhance our knowledge of what these guys will do in the Senate? It doesn't, and that is what Really ticks me off.
However, in the text of the article there is a quote from Mark Rozell that I found both annoying and personally insulting. Commenting on the story, Rozell said: "It's strange that George Allen wasn't more curious about his own heritage and a lot of people are wondering why."
I suggest Mr. Rozell is wrong on both counts.
Point 1: I know from experience that it isn't strange that Allen wasn't more curious
Children follow their parents lead, and if they don't show an interest in a topic children typically do not either...And this habit does not automatically stop when the child becomes an adult. Mother Allen pretty much shut down discussion of her past, and her children chose over the years not to press her. This is not an uncommon thing to do.
I a personal example. My late mother was adopted. She was born to a large West Virginia mining family in the early days of the Great Depression. They couldn't feed another mouth...So they put her up for adoption. She never attempted to search for her birth roots, although my father offered to hire folks who could find out. Her reason: If they didn't care enough to keep me, I don't care enough to find them.
I didn't know until I was 16 that she was adopted, and since she had no desire to start a search I had no compelling reason to do so. In fact, no one in the extended family ever talked about it. Any details I learned about Mom's birth family came through my grandaunt.
I do wonder on occasion, especially as my kids grow. Apparently the birth family name was Bennett, which-combined with Mom's fair skin, freckles, and red hair-has often caused me to think I have Irish blood. This thought is often enhanced by the near fact (gross generalization to follow) that I can talk on the inhale...And loquaciousness has long been a trait attributed to the Irish.
But have I ever searched? Nope. There is always some real world issue more pressing, some project, some problem. It would be interesting to know, but it is a small curiosity rather than a compelling desire. Does this somehow make me a bad person? I doubt it, just as I cannot see how George Allen's failure to quiz his mother on a subject she didn't want to discuss somehow hinders his bid for office.
Which leads me to the second thought:
Point 2: A lot of folks are not wondering about Allen's lack of curiosity
In fact, the only folks who are wondering are people who have a vested interest in focusing attention on his background. This group is limited to the Webb Campaign- which seems intent on not discussing any issues, and journalists/pundits-who need new material for stories.
The rest of us are waiting for the discussion of issues to begin...We can care less about Allen's ethnic background. We want to hear about how these men intend to represent us. We want to hear about how they will vote on the matters that impact our lives in the here and now.
And that is why Rozell's comment ticks me off...Because not only do I find it personally insulting, but it enhances the current path of focusing on anything but the issues facing this country and commonwealth...And those issues are what I want this campaign to focus on.
Shoot, even last year's Kilgore execution advertisements caused discussion about issues and concerns surrounding the death penalty. But this year, there is no real issue discussion, and that is where these campaigns should be focusing.
Unfortunately, this seems unlikely to happen. The Allen campaign has not regained control of the new cycles. The Webb campaign could care less about issues, instead pushing personalities-their next step will be to claim Allen is apicoris...Which will lead to another news cycle where issues are shut out. I can only assume from this they think they have to focus on personality matters because they will lose a campaign that focuses on the issues.
How in the world does all this enhance our knowledge of what these guys will do in the Senate? It doesn't, and that is what Really ticks me off.
posted by Bwana | 8:33 AM
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