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?
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