LA Ute
08-18-2013, 08:16 AM
Every modern president has had a mask made of his face. That's not offensive, and anyone who's upset about an Obama mask should get over it. On the other hand, it is offensive, IMO, to show the president of the U.S. in physical peril as a matter of comedy. (This was not a view widely held by GW Bush's detractors during his presidency. I am intentionally understating here.) So I think the rodeo clown act was out of line. It was especially insensitive -- or at least really unfortunate -- to show a black man being chased by a bull in front of a white crowd. But still...I'm not sure all the breast-beating that has gone on since it happened is called for.
I like what Kathleen Parker at the Washington Post said: (http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kathleen-parker-just-clowning-around-at-the-rodeo/2013/08/16/634b989e-06a7-11e3-a07f-49ddc7417125_story.html?hpid=z2)
And, yes, reaction has been overblown to the point of silliness. But there are lessons, nonetheless. We could stand to tone down our political expression for the sake of all our daughters and sons, who bear witness to these events and must make sense of their world. Perhaps more to the point, we might try to take ourselves more lightly.
I like what Kathleen Parker at the Washington Post said: (http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/kathleen-parker-just-clowning-around-at-the-rodeo/2013/08/16/634b989e-06a7-11e3-a07f-49ddc7417125_story.html?hpid=z2)
And, yes, reaction has been overblown to the point of silliness. But there are lessons, nonetheless. We could stand to tone down our political expression for the sake of all our daughters and sons, who bear witness to these events and must make sense of their world. Perhaps more to the point, we might try to take ourselves more lightly.