Without meaning to, yesterday morning I saw the teleprompter reading by Sarah Palin concerning the assassination attempt/murders in Arizona. The historicity behind the "blood libel" reference aside, what came across to me was that Mrs. Palin seemed to be saying that the true victim of the Arizona tragedy was herself, almost as if someone manufactured the atrocity to make her look bad.
I can't say that I watch any political programs because I don't like being party to my own manipulation. Although I comprehend that any post-production televised material is theatrically adjusted, its emotional content always sneaks past my mental political gatekeeper, so I avoid political theater, whether it fits with my conception of the world or challenges what I see. I prefer the mute company of a newspaper. Because of this, I'm not a seasoned Palin-watcher, or watcher of anything other than Dr. Who, Castle or Leonard and Sheldon. When I'm watching entertainment, though, I know the emotional manipulation is supposed to be part of the fun, like manufactured dancy double-entendre bubblegum music.
To me, the double-entendre emotional load of Mrs. Palin, Inc.'s production concerning the Arizona tragedy was a horning in to the spotlight and tugging the victim shroud away from the dead: Don't look at them, look at poor me.
Why wasn't a written news-realease sufficient?
Even though I think that the assassin/murderer's intent may hold as much water as the intent of John Lennon's murderer, the coincidence of an assassination attempt on a target in Mrs. Palin's publicized crosshairs should give us pause and we should take the opportunity to consider what level of civility we wish to live with.
Thought For the Day from this morning's newspaper:
Noble natures can adapt themselves to any change without loss of dignity; but those who are naturally insignificant make themselves ridiculous by taking refuge in their own sense of self-importance.
Margaret Sackville, poet and author
Comments