Often libertarians and conservatives studying the decline of liberty throughout the West speak of an elite that rules over the masses with an iron hand while ignoring the regulations they impose upon the rest of us lower down the social ladder that they hold in contempt. This conclusion is usually drawn by comparing what the snobs in positions of leadership expect from the rest of us and the lax manner in which they themselves live.
Usually, analysts of our contemporary situation have to wait awhile from the time a member of the overclass makes a proclamation and the evidence of their hypocrisy bubbles up to the light of day. However, it seems this election season political observers won’t have to travel far or wait long to see this social dynamic in operation in relation to Teresa Heinz Kerry.
Possibly even more so than Hillary Clinton, Teresa Heinz Kerry is coming to epitomize the contempt those in the highest positions of power exhibit towards Americans and the American way of life. At least with this harpy coming to the forefront of the news cycle, quasi-apathetic Americans have no excuse about not knowing what’s in store for them should Teresa’s attitude continue to prevail throughout policy and government in terms of curtailing the way in which Americans will be allowed to express themselves and in the very way in which they will be allowed to live their lives.
In addressing the Pennsylvania delegation to the the Democratic Convention , Teresa called for a return of civility to American politics by pointing out the “un-Pennsylvanian” and “un-American” tendencies creeping into the nation’s electoral process. Usually when a liberal brings up civility it is little more than a warning that conservatives had better stop daring to criticize and question what the overclass has in store for American society.
For if Teresa was really concerned about propriety and decorum, she would not have stood up for war protestors as noble patriots. When she did, I don’t imagine she was referring to principled conservatives and libertarians opposed to the current foreign policy undertakings but rather to the grubby street agitators that threatened to disrupt the Republican Convention and even plotted to toss marbles onto the path of police horses in an attempt to injure both riders and mounts.
But perhaps of greater significance were her comments following the speech clarifying her conception of civility and the role it is to play in public life. When pressed by a reporter as to what she meant by “un-Pennsylvanian” and “un-American” she responded, “Now shove it.”
Such a statement is a perfect example of the new civility called for by the likes of Teresa and others of the “don’t do as I do, do as I say” mindset. Apparently these standards are to be imposed upon journalists who have forgotten their place but not the ruling elite or its henchmen.
Not surprisingly, many of Teresa’s compatriots have expressed similar sentiments in even more robust words, serving as shining examples of postmodernist civility to lesser minds such as ourselves incapable of such lofty forms of ratiocination. Colin McNickle, the journalist who brought this brouhaha to light in the August 1, 2004 edition of the Pittsburgh Tribune, catalogued many of the civil and uplifting comments that have been made about him and directed at him.
According to McNickle, coming to the aide of Her Royal Heinzness, Patti Labelle said McNickle should be “pimp-slapped”. That pinnacle of good taste and even better grooming, Michael Moore called McNickle “rude”.
As equally rotund Jack Germond said McNickle was not a legitimate newspaperman; since when do the canons of good journalism stifle curiosity and promote timidity? I think Germond’s chronically tight collars have finally cut off circulation to his brain.
Liberals that feign concern over the diminishing levels of propriety and manners allegedly characterizing contemporary political exchange go out of their way to publicize and wallow in incidents where alleged “Conservatives” comported themselves in a less than reputable manner. One only hopes they will put as much effort into condemning their own ideological kinsman for making lewd calls to the McNickle home and even logging death threats against this champion of journalistic integrity.
The double standard through which the elite imposes their will upon the rest of us extends beyond the lofty concerns of public discussion to the more mundane ones of everyday existence; that’s why there’s “total” in “totalitarianism”. For in expressing her position regarding SUV’s, the Ketchup Queen reveals that her life is considerably more important than cretins like you and me.
Groups funded by her foundation lament the American fascination with reliable, quality automobiles as epitomized by sport utility vehicles and go on about the evils of this mode of transportation as well as why good citizens ought to give them up. Unless, of course, you happen to number among the idle rich paying to impose such nonsense upon the masses.
The rest of us are to endanger our lives driving shoddy automobiles or be herded around like livestock in cattle cars on public transportation, Teresa thinks her life is so much more valuable, noting her safety comes first since she lost four family members in traffic accidents. So since I lost an uncle in a car wreck, does that mean I am entitled to an SUV? Probably not. Those buying into Teresa’s worldview see such tragedies befalling the lower orders of man as merely a trimming of the excess population.
Interestingly, Heinz uses her SUV for more than trips to Bloomingdale’s or wherever else the opulently wealthy like to spend their money these days. She also uses this environmental despoiler to drive in snow and sand at her multiple homes.
For you, on the other hand, Heinz’s elites are planning a so-called “sustainable” future where, unlike the Kerrys with their multiple estates, it’s doubtful you’ll even be allowed to own what we now know as a single-family house with a yard. Instead, those of us in the lower to middle echelons of society will be corralled into planned, high density communal dormitories. And forget about driving on sand: in all likelihood, you won’t even be allowed to set foot on a beach or any other part of nature where they plan to tear out the roads and designate as protected natural areas.
Most of the time, as in the case of the Clintons, evil seduces through subtle charm and beguiling doubletalk; however, in the case of the Heinz Hag and her henpecked hubby, this witch does little to hide her true intentions. If voters fall for this duo, those exercising their suffrage in such a manner will be getting exactly what they deserve.
Copyright 2004 by Frederick Meekins
