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Jewish World Review June 15, 2005 / 8 Sivan, 5765 The moral light of Paris Hilton By Tony Blankley
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
For those with a gloomy view of our civilization's future, a
small beam of light has broken through the clouds. Paris Hilton has
announced she plans to retire from public life and raise a family.
According to the Associated Press, the Zsa Zsa Gabor of our
times has observed that "I don't enjoy going out anymore. It's such a pain.
It's everyone saying, 'Let's do a deal! Can I have a picture?" I'm just,
like, "These people are such losers. I can't believe I used to love doing
this."
Out of the mouths of babes.
Translated into non-Valley talk English, Ms. Hilton, suddenly
wise beyond her years, has rejected materialism, the culture of celebrity
and the moral shortcomings of the demimonde found in chic urban clubs.
Delving further into her study of proper behavior, she firmly
endorsed the age-old advice of experienced parents that it is unwise to
associate with people who frequent sordid places or indulge in hedonistic
practices. Gertrude Himmelfarb, Rev. Jerry Falwell and The Heritage
Foundations could give no firmer moral guidance. And to think that only
recently Ms. Hilton could be seen in cyberspace (so I am told) copulating
joyously with a man not her husband.
Before getting too ecstatic at her full conservative moral
redemption, it must be pointed out, according to Newsweek, that shortly
after announcing her intention to retire from public life, she wore a tiara
as grand marshal in The Los Angeles Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual & Transgender
Pride Parade — not that there is anything wrong with that.
Newsweek went on to note that she doesn't plan to implement her
retreat from publicity for two years. But I can understand that. I plan to
start my diet next week. There's no time like the future for moral or other
redemption. Still, there is value in good intentions. Before the act must
come the perception that one is in need of redemption. We often have a few
false starts before we succeed. I quit smoking two times before it finally
took.
So I wish Ms. Hilton well in her plans to become a moral pillar
of our society and, like the rest of us, start going to bed early in one's
own bed with one's own spouse. I think she will find that she can become a
pillar without becoming a stiff.
I am now looking for a few slender shafts of light coming
through the clouds to give hope to those of us who are inclined to despair
of conditions in the political sphere. Last week, I wrote censoriously of
the excessive schadenfreude I had been observing in politics. I received
quite a flood of e-mail, including several from people in the political
business, sharing my concern. A measurable minority of the responses thought
I was either going soft or was a hypocrite. I will accept the latter
charge — although I prefer to think I am having second thoughts about how
to view the failure and suffering of my political opponents.
But as to the first charge of going soft. I plead not guilty. I
still believe in vigorous, tough, even bruising, political fighting and
rhetoric. That's the traditional American style of political debate. Harry
Truman accused Republicans of putting pitchforks into the backs of American
farmers. Republicans have certainly matched such language.
But what increasingly concerns me is not only the pleasure too
many of us are gaining in seeing our opponents suffer, but the trend in the
tone of our language.
And during that time, such language moved from the crankish
margins of the debate to being used by people in responsible positions. On
the Internet, the tone now includes obscene, scatological and violent
language. At some point these burning words may cross over and inflame
action.
Words and ideas have consequences. If we don't watch out, we are
going to find we have engendered left-right domestic political violence in
this country.
But every societal trend can be reversed, and every abyss can be
walked back from. If Paris Hilton can see the wisdom of raising a family in
a quiet private life, surely we can find the wisdom in fighting hard for our
principles without enraging the body politic to the point of mayhem.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here. Tony Blankley is editorial page editor of The Washington Times. Comment by clicking here.
© 2005, Creators Syndicate |
Mitch Albom | |||||||||||
