WAYT: Clothes on, mouth shut

Right now, it’s a tie for “Most Media Ignorant” between Mitt Romney and Kate Middleton. 

Yesterday, Mitt Romney was secretly recorded saying some rather unflattering things about the American public.  Last week, nearly all of Kate Middleton’s physical form was revealed in the tabloids. 

What are those two thinking? 

In our world today, did either of them really expect any level of privacy?  All the Republicans have done since Sarah Palin is complain about the “gotcha” media.  Did Mitt forget that there is never an “off” moment?  And did Kate learn nothing from the princes and princesses who came before her?  She really shouldn’t think that there’s any safe place to take off all her clothes.  If I were her, I’d worry about my own bedroom.

I certainly feel that Kate should be able to take a vacation and escape from the ever-present paparazzi.  But she can’t.  And I certainly feel that Mitt Romney should be able to confide with his people about his true feelings about the American electorate.  But there’s always some margin of risk, and they both know that. 

For these individuals, the revelations of these unguarded moments are ill-timed and unwelcome.  Kate is the new People’s Princess.  Mostly everyone loves her and is charmed by her low-maintenance and unassuming persona.  Mitt is trying to be our next president, so he wants everyone to like him and be charmed by his persona, whatever that may be. 

There definitely isn’t enough outrage over what Mitt said.  His comments are insulting.  But I have to say, I really don’t follow his logic.  If, according to him, nearly 1 in 2 Americans expect a hand-out and are so lazy and uninterested in life as we know it, does he really believe that those people vote?  We all have the right to vote, but of course not everyone does.  So Mitt, I find your statements to be false.  And rude.  The disenfranchised (whether by unemployment, injury, disability or yes, laziness) don’t expect to change their lives at the ballot box; they start at their local non-profit organizations or government offices.  If you don’t like that (who does?), give me a solution, not a dismissive one-liner.

There should be outrage over what happened to Kate, and I really think the media (who aren’t publishing the nude photos) is getting the tone about right.  Maybe you could see her nudity from the street – with a super-zoom camera lens – but that doesn’t mean you put it in a magazine like it’s a Playboy spread.  I guarantee that if Kate had seen that photographer, she would have been horribly mortified and had the person arrested immediately.  Now she’s had her entire body exposed to the world.  For any woman who isn’t an exhibitionist, and Kate certainly appears to prefer modesty, there is nothing worse than something like this.  I don’t blame her for pressing charges.  I find this to be a criminal invasion also.

(Maybe it’s seems hypocritical of me to approve of the media coverage of Prince Harry’s nudity but not Kate’s.  The difference here is that Harry was getting naked for a whole room full of people.  Kate was with her husband, in a private, secluded place.  Surely she intended for no one BUT William to see her.  I live for celebrity gossip and I didn’t even know she was on vacation.)

Even for me, who is basically no one in the grand scheme of the universe, little more than a tiny speck on the planet Earth, I expect no reasonable amount of privacy.  Facebook tracks my every move, my employer can read all of my emails even if I delete them or never send them, and my cell phone is constantly broadcasting my location.  No one, least of all those in the spotlight, should be surprised that everything they do is newsworthy, and blows up exponentially whenever it falls outside the lines. 

We live in a guarded time – one that makes us insular and ignorant.  It restricts us, and it’s making our society ugly.  Some of us stalk out princesses in order to show their goods to the entire world without their knowledge or permission.  Some of us set up presidential candidates to make unflattering, blanket statements about huge segments of our population on camera, and then share them anonymously with every news organization under the sun with the goal of discrediting the target.  That doesn’t make what Mitt said entirely wrong, or what Kate did entirely right.  But it should force us to look at ourselves through a magnified lens too. 

What are we thinking, that this is what we have become?  I, for one, am embarrassed for all of us. 

WAYT: Can John Edwards turn over a new leaf?

I hope that Elizabeth Edwards has been taking an extended, exclusive, secret vacation in Heaven.  After reading this story and following John Edwards’ trial in the news, I wish her all the peace in Heaven that she surely never found during her last few years on this Earth. 

If the cancer hadn’t killed her, being married to John Edwards would have.  I want to say that I feel sorry for Elizabeth, or say that I pity her for being saddled with such a sorry piece of work as John Edwards.  But I don’t want to say either of those things about her.  She would hate that, and I respect her too much to feel anything for her that would lower her in my esteem.  She only deserves to be raised up and applauded for living that painful remainder of her life with dignity and grace. 

John Edwards is the perfect example of the rule of law.  Rule of law, for the unfamiliar, is rule by law, which means that government officials, even though they make the laws, are not above the laws.  In fact, they are equally subject under the law as any ordinary citizen.  John Edwards, in his ego-maniacal fantasy land, believed that he could get away with not only carrying on an affair with a staff member, but also believed that he could secretly father a child and then pass it off on someone else through public grandstanding and private lies.  Oh, and he allegedly thought that he could use campaign money to pay for the whole sordid mess. 

What a joke!  What was he thinking?  Honestly, did he think he could get away with that mountain of lies?  You can only pile that crap up so far and it crumbles down in a landslide.  Idiot. 

Today is John Edwards’ judgment day.  In his life, he’s faced many judgment days – when he ran for office, when he admitted to his wife how he’d betrayed their marriage vows, when his wife filed for legal separation from his pathetic behind.  But this will be the final nail in his coffin.  Though perhaps the jury will not find him guilty, or maybe they’ll only find him partially guilty.  Either way, after the jury renders its decision, the public’s perception of John Edwards will change once again. 

I used to like John Edwards.  He was popular in national politics at a point in my life when I probably based “liking” him on his sweeping hair line and sparkly blue-eyed smile.  Now I look at that face and all I see is smarm.  It makes my stomach turn a little. 

The problem with John Edwards is that his wife became a saint.  Elizabeth endured her initial battle with cancer out on the campaign trail, and then when the cancer got worse, she endured a public scandal and complete humiliation at the hands of her supposedly loving husband.  The guy actually renewed his vows with her all while carrying the affair in his back pocket. 

Anyway, John Edwards’ sleaze-bag reputation might not seem quite so sleazy if Elizabeth hadn’t been such a classy lady.  Maybe if she was tough as nails like Hillary Clinton, we wouldn’t be tempted to pity Elizabeth. 

In any event, after this verdict is decided, John Edwards will surely retreat into a private life, one that is defined by media silence and little to no public exposure.  There must be nothing more that he can say or do, right?  If he knew what was good for him, he would dig into his own psyche with a good therapist, learn how to be a good father to his remaining young ones – including the one he tried to deny – and hope that someday, he can be loved by his children for the man he could become, if he set his mind to it. 

I don’t want to hate someone like John Edwards who has so much potential.  In fact, in life, it’s better to continually try to find the silver lining in everyone and everything.  It makes every day easier, if you can find one way to enjoy it, some bright light that improves the bad stuff. 

I truly hope that John Edwards can find it within himself to clear away the past and start over.  That may be the only way that he can redeem himself with his Maker, the Big Guy who undoubtedly had nothing but warm, welcoming arms for John’s wife Elizabeth.  In the end, John was still married to her.  He owes it to Elizabeth to do better, from this day forward. 

WAYT: Reality check from a comic book blockbuster

The movie Iron Man changed my husband.  Ever since he saw that movie, superheroes became his thing.  (Parenthetically, I’d like to complain.  You’d think that he’d have a little more understanding about my Twilight mania, in light of his Iron Man mania, but no.  One way street, my friends – quintessential hypocrisy.)   

Frank went a little fan-boy over The Avengers this weekend.  He wore his Avengers t-shirt to the show and lamented that I hadn’t worn a Black Widow leotard.  We purchased the tickets online, in advance, so that we wouldn’t find ourselves sold out.  He even made sure to visit the restroom BEFORE the movie started so that he wouldn’t miss one single second.  Honestly, I was just glad to be a part of it with him, because there’s nothing I love more than to hang with Frank doing stuff that he loves. 

I was excited to see the movie too.  I enjoyed each of the Marvel movies leading up to The Avengers.  I liked both Iron Man films.  Thor was awesome, aside from the pedantic romantic melodrama.  Chris Hemsworth is so right for that role, it’s like he was born for it.  Captain America was pitch perfect, considering the historical references required in its story, and the special effects that made hunky Chris Evans a puny human were well done.  Going into The Avengers, I had not seen an Incredible Hulk movie but I figured I’d be fine since those movies weren’t major successes. 

I liked The Avengers a lot.  Tony Stark, Iron Man’s alter-ego, is a walking one-liner and in his presence, the rest of the crew follows suit.  I am still laughing about Iron Man calling Thor “Shakespeare in the Park.”  And I love Jeremy Renner so I was glad to see him in a big movie.  None of the effects looked cheap or cheesy and there wasn’t much that I’d change about the characters or the plot.         

But no movie is perfect.  My 180 take on this mega-blockbuster is twofold.  First, what are you thinking, Motion Picture Association of America, rating The Avengers PG-13?  It’s no secret that the plot revolves around the threat of an alien invasion.  When the aliens invade, they literally crash into people, implying that the bystanders are killed on impact.  Within seconds, hundreds of people are murdered.  And here I am, sitting in my theater seat next to at least five children under the age of ten.  The Avengers earned its PG-13 tag due to “intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference.”  These red flags make sense as descriptors of the objectionable content, but a PG-13 rating seemed a little laissez faire to me. 

Secondly, not to be completely melodramatic and take a movie (entertainment!) to a dark and totally unnecessary place, but as the alien battle raged on and a nuclear missile was engaged, I couldn’t help but feel a little terrified for myself and the tiny children around me.  Here we are laughing at Hulk smashing New York City to pieces while what we’re seeing is completely possible.  Sure, aliens might not exist and the exact plot of The Avengers may never happen to us.  But the entire film felt too immediately relevant.  I wonder if anyone else felt that way?  Just like in The Avengers, our reality is governed by a handful of select people who have access to technology that could kill us ALL at any given moment.  That’s heavy stuff and every now and then, when I hear the latest headline about Iran or Pakistan, I stop for a moment to think about the fact that if one powerful person got really belligerent, everything that I know could be gone.  Blink of an eye.  World over.

No, I’m sure I’m the only person who thought about the real life possibilities.  I’m a little too world weary, a little too jaded about international relations.  I bet Robert Downey Jr. would punch me for taking this movie so seriously.  But, if only the Avenger team was real.  We could really use them!

Then again, Frank once told me that I reminded him of the Incredible Hulk, just that I didn’t have the purple sweatpants.  He said that I get all rage-y and turn green.  (By the way, how is it possible that Mark Ruffalo’s pants still fit him when he went Hulk, but when he landed in a pile of rubble, human again, he had no pants?  Serious movie gaffe right there.)  So if the Avengers need to unite, I can take over at least one role.  Sleep well, citizens.  Hulk smash. 

WAYT: Talk that talk, leave Ann out of it

I hate this debate about Ann Romney.  Any time women become the focus of discussion like this, it turns into feminist BS that, to me, is so outrageous and insulting that I can’t stand it.  We’re not moving forward when we have to fight over stuff like this. 

Hilary Rosen, a Democratic pundit, wants the world to know that Ann Romney has never worked a day in her life.  What is she thinking, bringing up this petty nonsense?

Uh, who cares?  Anybody?  Thanks for letting us know, Hilary.  Now shut up and go away. 

Ann Romney doesn’t have to work to earn my respect.  She gets my respect for signing up to be a politician’s wife.  Can you imagine what it must be like, day after day, following around someone like Mitt Romney?  She always has to be pressed and dressed, smiling and friendly.  She may have fancy dinners and she may have a stylist and make-up artist and personal assistants, but she’s still a person who has to deal with media scrutiny like this and much worse.  That’s work, hard work, whether she’s earning a paycheck or not.   

I WISH I had never worked a day in my life.  I wish I had never worked at JC Penney for years and years.  I wish that my main concerns in life would have been experimenting with my hair after school or reading more books just for fun.  I really can’t imagine doing any of that, and I honestly prefer to hold a job.  But I truly doubt that Ann’s life was so simple.  No one’s could be.    

I’m sure that Hilary Rosen started this discussion about Ann because Hilary wants to make Ann a factor in our voting decision come election day.  Hilary wants us to think that Ann is just another piece in the puzzle that makes up Mitt Romney: so filthy rich, so grossly out of touch, so privileged that there’s no way he could govern the United States in this day and age.  Hilary, let me assure you that Ann could never affect me in that way.  Ann’s stay-at-home status isn’t going to keep me from voting for her husband.  (He’s not getting my vote regardless.  Though he is a worthy candidate, I’ll give the Republicans credit there.)  Anyway, I was saying, no potential first lady has ever had an effect on who I cast my vote for on election day, nor will she ever.  Let’s be serious. 

(Funny that if I were voting for a woman for president, I feel like I would be really interested in who her husband is… when the shoe’s on the other foot…)

What really annoys me is these pundits who characterize Ann Romney’s work - raising her children - as a luxury when opposed to working any other way.  I doubt that Ann Romney sat down and said, “I’m never going to get a job.”  I bet it didn’t go down like that.  Furthermore, I doubt that, at the end of another luxurious day at home, when all her FIVE munchkins were in bed, Ann thought to herself, “I feel great!  I’m not the least bit tired, my knees feel great after playing on the floor all day and my back isn’t shot from carrying the kids around, I’m totally not hungry after feeding the children three-quarters of everything I intended to eat today, and I bet everyone at the grocery store thought I was a great mom when all the children were hanging onto my shirt whining endlessly over nothing of consequence.”  For real. 

And what effect does her not working have on her opinion of the economy?  I work every day and I’m sure I have barely a grasp on the economy.  Maybe Ann has so much money that she didn’t have to plan a budget to pay her bills.  Maybe she has so much money that she doesn’t pay her bills because maybe someone does ALL of that for her.  That would be luxury. 

I bet that Ann is a very smart woman.  I bet that she counts her blessings on her fingers and her toes and her kids’ fingers and toes.  We should all be so lucky.  I don’t envy her and I don’t begrudge her.  I would like to congratulate her for living a life that shines so brightly that she’s now the focus of all this big talk.  Unimportant people, people like me, will never make a splash like this.  Good for you, Ann. 

WAYT: Get ready for the primary!

I have been so incredibly busy at work lately.  I haven’t revealed the name of my employer on here because I don’t know how they would feel about it and because in this day and age, the work I do can be even more polarizing than my own personal opinions. 

One big project I’ve been working on is helping to sort out the new legislative districts.  The primary election is less than one month away!  What are you thinking about the upcoming primary? 

A lot has changed in Illinois because of these new maps.  Everyone who we’ve known since living in Downs has been mapped out of our area and new people have been mapped in.  This election is going to bring big changes to who represents us. 

The trouble (or is it good news?) is that I personally heard from both of the candidates vying for the State Senate seat in our new district.  My organization conducted an interview and I just happened to be asked by my boss to go with him to staff the meeting.  It was incredibly interesting.  Suffice to say that one candidate is a long-time legislator and one is completely new to state politics.  The differences were stark.  There is an air of experience that a person carries with him when he’s been at the game for a while, and with politicians, it’s palpable.  Sort of like fairy dust, shimmering in the air around him – you can see it. 

There are benefits and downsides to having legislators with experience.  On the one hand, experience gets you somewhere.  If your legislator has been around for a while, he knows people and has connections.  The good things that you want him to do have a shot of surviving the legislative process.  On the other hand, experience draws your legislator into the deep, dark alleyways of politics.  If your legislator has been around for a while, he knows people and has connections.  The things about politics that everyone hates – money and influence – start to impact your legislator and thereby, the legislative process. 

The word “election,” to me, is synonymous with the word “choice.”  This primary isn’t something to take lightly, because for years now already, Downs and every community surrounding it has been affected by Illinois’ on-going budget crisis.  The person we choose to represent us will inherit many tough battles.  Will the voters choose someone who can handle the pressure?  Will the voters choose someone who we can ask to fight for us – someone who can take the heat from his constituents?

The way I see it, elections must go beyond picking the best person for the job.  You have the make that person accountable to you, whether he/she got your vote or not.  I hope that whoever is chosen in the primary, voters will take their action one step further.  Vote, and then, regardless of the outcome, call, meet or email your officials! Tell them your opinion so that you can hear what they’ll do about it.  Start the dialogue now. 

It’s not about voting early and often, because we all know that phrase has sadly become a sick joke in Illinois.  It’s about speaking your mind early and often.  Your legislators need to know what you are thinking.  You can’t complain about the unfairness or the bad decisions if you’ve never tried to impact the process, and they can’t do the good work you want them to do if you don’t tell them your goals, dreams, ambitions, complaints, irritations and must-haves. 

Of course, it all begins at the ballot box.  Make sure that you have your voter registration in order for the primary election.  Do your job!  What are you thinking if you don’t?