Snake Bites Own Tail

Every so often, politicians try to understand why more people don't want to be just like them.

You can stop laughing now. Seriously. They do. In fact, in Canada, the very little-l liberal NDP wants House meetings, particularly Question Period, to be much more civilized so that more women will feel safe enough to become politicians. I hate what that implies; it's so pre-1970s. Men aren't beasts. It's not the job of the female gender to "tame" or "civilize" men. Sheesh. But it says something that the party has that mission as an ongoing part of their platform.

However. I'm still a little stunned over something I saw on TV last week. It's about Afghanistan detainees, although (you're relieved, I'm sure) the details aren't important. In any case, the Liberal party had asked a question relating to Afghan detainees. And then the man I love to dislike, Peter Van Loan, showed why he is so eminently unlikeable. In fact, as my family would say, he's...he's...hate-able.

In his response to the question about detainees, he said that the Member of Parliament who asked the question, who is a member of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition*, was an operative for the Taliban.

Yes. The MP is accused of treason simply for asking a legitimate question. Terrorism, indeed. Other members of Van Loan's party laughed and cheered. My stomach churned.

Michael Ignatieff, Deputy Leader of the Liberals, later pointed out to the media that that statement wasn't an auspicious beginning to the negotiations about the future role of Canada in Afghanistan, which the Conservatives claim to want.

Naturally, CBC showed the remark, and the laughter, and the response. Fortunately, they showed it as evidence of the truth of Ignatieff's statement--that partisan spirit in the House is as nasty as ever. (Who needs the scathing, loathing diatribes like those of the Fox pundits when you have Peter Van Loan?)

We all know plenty of people who are disagreeable. Most people know a person or two who is downright hateful. Sometimes, disagreeable or hateful people think they're being funny; sometimes, they're normal people having a bad day. Generally, they're not rewarded for being hateful--they lose friends, loved ones give them a wide berth, they drown in their own unhappy isolation. Whatever. They pay a price.

But what continues to bug me about this guy in this situation is that nobody says "the guy was out of line." They say "the guy is making his life more difficult." But apparently this kind of (pick one) (a) grandstanding, (b) slander, (c) name-calling, (d) playground hijinks, (e) all of the above (the mind boggles) is business as usual.

Well, hell. No wonder few people of intelligence go into politics. No wonder politicians' statements about "bringing more civility into politics" ring so hollow. They obviously love this stuff. Politicians in Canada, perhaps like some of those in the U.S., are ten-year-olds on a Lord-of-the-Flies playground. The gang with the biggest bullies wins. No wonder people consider them to be scum. Untrustworthy. Unreliable.

So, let the Young Sharks and the Miniature Jets of the North Side Story fight it out (stay cool, boy). Meanwhile, long live the bureaucrat. Long live the person who works, day in and day out, to serve her country regardless of which political party is in power.

Unless you're Linda Keen, of course. Sometimes bullies have a very long reach.
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*By the way, isn't that an excellent way to refer to the party out of power?! Just because they didn't win enough votes to form the government doesn't mean they are worthless--they have an important role to play. They're patriots, still loyal to Queen and country. I just love that.