This
month's column is about hypocrisy and its adherents in public life. The French writer, Andre Gide said, “ The true hypocrite
is one who ceases to perceive his deception, the one who lies with sincerity."
What else can be said about Rush Limbaugh? On April 15 Rush was arrested for allegedly
doctor shopping- getting prescription drugs for the same condition from four doctors. With the Kennedy family’s attorney
Roy Black at his side, Rush pleaded innocent and paid a $30,000 fine… Here's Rushbo pontificating about others who take
drugs, "If people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought
to be sent up.” Do as I say, not as I do.
Honorable
mention in the circle of hypocrisy goes to Howie Carr for his comments on May
31 about Elizabeth Taylor, whom he derided as "a hag" and stated that she should “pray for a quick and easy death.”
At one time billed as the most beautiful woman in the world, the 74-year-old Ms Taylor was also one of the greatest actresses
of the twentieth century, but in Carr's view, she's old and thus of not much
value. Carr’s arrested development makes him think it’s humorous to deride elders. He may actually think his cynicism
makes him appear younger to his listeners. But Carr is now in his mid-fifties ( not old…for a cathedral) and has long
since received his first AARP mailing. Perhaps he should stick to his forte of bashing immigrants. For Carr-mudgeon to criticize
anyone for being old is like Ted Kennedy criticizing somebody for drunken driving, which brings me to the next candidate.
In
1962, nobody had heard of the Beatles, Mickey Mantle played centerfield for the Yankees, Marilyn Monroe was alive, and Ted
Kennedy became a senator. Gas cost 22 cents a gallon. Now people pay three bucks for gas, and with surging demand from China
and India, the price can only increase. No problem if you are a Kennedy. But we have wind technology to lessen dependence
on petroleum and put downward pressure on demand, but Kennedy is concerned: the windmills might obstruct the view from his
sailboat. Meanwhile, 170 400-foot turbines will be constructed off the Gulf of Mexico by Superior Renewable Energy, a Texas
company. Together they will generate 500 megawatts, enough energy to power 125,000 homes. So while Texas, home of big oil,
is doing the right thing for America and building wind farms, Kennedy is blocking wind technology in his own state. It is time for Kennedy to go. It amazes me the number of people who vote this guy because of name recognition.
Representative
Martin Meehan is worthy of inclusion within the circle. In the early 1990’s Meehan campaigned against higher taxes and
NAFTA. Shortly after Meehan won his seat, he changed his mind on taxes and voted for Clinton’s massive tax hike; then
he changed his mind on NAFTA and voted for it. Term limits was a high profile
issue and Meehan signed a pledge that if he were elected, he would step down voluntarily after four terms. But after serving
his four terms, he decided to ignore his pledge. The Democrats are supposed to be for the little people, right? But Representative
Meehan voted to block legislation to prohibit partial birth abortions. I wonder how many Catholic votes he gets? They just
keep loving him in this state. At around 5 million dollars, Meehan’s campaign chest is larger than any of the other
434 members of the House.
Then
there is our default governor, the globetrotting Mitt Romney- he just drops by Massachusetts to pick up his check. He thinks
he has a mandate from the people. But in reality, he was elected because the voters wanted any Republican- even a guy off
the street- to play goalie against the Democratic state legislature, which under the last Democratic governor, came close
to bankrupting the state. Like John Kerry, Romney is a flip-flopper, reversing his positions on abortion and gay marriage
and anything else for political expediency. Not surprising then, that he is against wind farms on the Cape. He will no doubt
present himself to the country as a pro-education candidate, but under his leadership Massachusetts is the only state spending
less on public higher education than it did ten years ago, and ranks 49th in state spending on public higher education
per $1000 of income. Under Romney’s lackluster and uninspiring leadership, the state has floundered. Mitt has a good
head of hair, but he is just another indecisive, opportunistic politician without a center.
The
Bible tells us there’s nothing new under the sun. Hypocrites have always been and always will be with us. We are all
hypocrites at times. I don’t think we are going to change that, but we need not honor and esteem hypocrisy in our public
discourse.
May 2006