INTERNATIONALIZING LILLY LIVERED LILLIPUTIANISM

4/29/10

In what CBS news described as an episode of “blowing his top,” British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, thinking he was safely out of microphone range, described a questioner as “a bigoted woman.” The woman confronted Mr. Brown on the campaign trail about the huge influx of foreign workers in Great Britain and Mr. Brown felt his aides should have protected him from such questioning. Upon being discovered, Mr. Brown delivered the now familiar mea culpas, going so far as to describe himself as a “penitent sinner.”

First, “blowing his top”? It seems only in Britain could a relatively calm designation of a person as “bigoted” be considered blowing one’s top.

Second, why the need to apologize? Maybe the woman was expressing a legitimate concern or maybe she was just a bigot; for these purposes, it doesn’t matter. If Mr. Brown thought she was a bigot, why didn’t he just say so in public, or at least not cower when discovered expressing such an opinion in private? Why do politicians feel the need to apologize for what they truly feel? Why do they need protection from those who might challenge them? Is holding political office so very vital to the typical politician’s continued existence that he must emasculate and prostrate himself before anyone capable of expressing a negative opinion about him? If I were given to use of profane language, I’d ask if any of these political types have a pair. If they did, and they displayed them (figuratively, of course), perhaps they’d get credit for having the courage of their convictions.