Show 'em some love...C. Estes Kefauver

This fine gentleman from Tennessee was my profile picture on Facebook for about a week:

Here is the link to his minimalist Wikipedia biography:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estes_Kefauver

So why am I asking for people to show love to a lifelong Democrat and career member of the U.S. Congress? Not my favorite demographic for sure, so here are my reasons:

1. Use of his name and legacy in National Lampoon. Remember, Lance Kroger went to C Estes Kefauver high school. I am sure that NL chose him for his stance on rock and roll and its effect on teenagers. It is a viewpoint that has never gone away. The focus has just changed. Now, people worry about rap music and violent video games. I am sure CEK would have had an apoplexy over some of the media directed to youth today. 

2. He was Adlai Stevenson II's vice presidential pick. Adlai being another favorite of NL, most notable in my memory referring to him as a human chicken. I remember him differently. Here are two links:

short version:

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675070175_Adlai-Stevenson_Cuban-Missile-Crisis_United-Nations_Valerian-Zorin

long version:

http://www.yourtowntube.com/video/6467/CubaMissileCrisis-Adlai-Stevenson-Princeton-22

These guys were both two old school politicians, and renowned for their liberalism in their day. It was not chic back then. It was not politically correct, a concept that I feel both, as I, would find repugnant and revolting. I doubt I would have agreed with them on many issues, and they would probably not agree with me. But they both, CEK in particular, deserve some love.

NL chose CEK in order to ridicule his stance on television, and his introduction of legislation to ban possession of switchblade knives, my opinion. And, again my opinion, no one deserves having a career reduced to parody by things which become iconic and do not see the larger context of action within the existential framework of life. People either take action, or they do not. Those that take action abandon the safety in which those who do not take action languish. Once action is taken, you become a target for your opponents, those who disagree, and those who have no power, ability, or desire to act. That is when the ridicule starts. That ridicule of two men of principle, of two men with whom I would undoubtedly find myself at odds, is not what we should accept as matter of fact politics, or as acceptable because they are public figures. The ridicule of a political opponent is not an acceptable tactic. Refute the idea with facts, dissemble the position with logic, and provide an alternative. Be people of action, not reaction.

This idea is way out of mainstream in today's political climate. Ridicule and dehumanization are the order of the day. Harry Reid calling the Koch brothers un-American, and Charlie Daniels responding in kind is the latest example from my observation. This really has to stop. This will not be acceptable to many, but to paraphrase, I may be a pet coon, but I ain't the uniformed mainstreams pet coon, and I am prepared to wait till hell freezes over for a standard of civility.

jscarrsez@gmail.com

P.S. Please feel free to pass this on...