Friday, August 15, 2014

Pol cheap shots a sign of a mini-mind?


I’m not about to get all worked up over Republican lieutenant governor nominee Evelyn Sanguinetti for her apparent cheap-shot against the rural part of Illinois – and her efforts this week to make it appear she didn’t mean anything by it.

For one thing, it would be hypocritical.

I KNOW FOR a fact that I have made my share of snide comments implying that the rest of Illinois (the land that lies beyond the outermost suburbs of Chicago) is somehow lacking in civilization.

Which is nothing compared to the cheap-shots that often emanate from rural residents when referring to the Chicago portion of Illinois – which has become so dominant in recent years that it is the real reason someone like Bruce Rauner will take the overwhelming share of the non-Chicago vote come the Nov. 4 election for governor.

Borderline-lame pot shots at each other may at times be the glue that holds the regions of Illinois together – because it compels us to remember that we are one state, and not a batch of regions that wish they could be a part of surrounding states.

Sanguinetti apparently made a pot-shot in the past while inquiring about the possibility of a government job. The Lee Enterprises newspaper chain reported recently about an e-mail message she sent on the issue, trying to end it with a laugh by writing, “Isn’t cow tipping a work requirement in Springfield (LOL).”

IT’S A DUMB gag, although the part that offends me the most is that “(LOL)” she felt compelled to add to the end.

As though she thought she had to tell people they were supposed to laugh. If the gag had truly been humorous, their laughter would have been spontaneous, and apparent.

Then again, maybe I’m just that old grouch who dislikes the idea of “LOL” being put into any e-mail. Just like I don’t like those people who put smiley faces and other gimmicky symbols (such as “;)”) into an e-mail.

Sanguinetti took the appearance that she was insulting rural Illinois (she’s a suburban DuPage County-type person, a Wheaton village trustee to be exact) seriously enough that she felt compelled to say nice things about the Illinois capital city when she was on hand for the fair-type events.

WHICH MADE HER look rather trivial overall. No wonder that recent poll showed that when people were asked what they thought of the lieutenant governor candidates, they far preferred Democrat Paul Vallas to Sanguinetti.

Maybe Gov. Pat Quinn owes any November victory to Vallas. Or more likely, few people bother to give the lieutenant governor nominees much thought when they go into the voting booth to pick a preference for governor.

Although the part of all this that bothers me the most is the fact that Quinn felt so compelled to pick up on this issue – rather than just let Sanguinetti twist in the wind with her own trivial nonsense.

The Chicago Sun-Times on Friday reported that Quinn said, “I think she should apologize for those disrespectful remarks. This isn’t the right way to talk about any cow in Illinois. We’re proud of our cows. They’re the best that ever was. She ought to say she’s sorry to a bunch of cows.”

WHY DO I suspect the spirit of Robin Williams was lingering nearby, and shuddering at Quinn’s attempt to engage in such lame humor?

It also reminds me of the 1960s anti-war activists who once satirically nominated “Pigasus” for president (“If we can’t have him in the White House, we can have him for breakfast,” the Yippies said) to show their contempt for the establishment candidates.

Does this mean we can nominate a cow for governor – on the grounds that he’d have more sense (and may even smell better) than either Rauner or Quinn?

  -30-

No comments: