I first saw this six second clip a few weeks ago. It has been bothering me for reasons I'm not completely able to articulate ever since.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=S652EQvLFvw
The clip shows nine-year old Liz Marquez, who was born in the U.S., approaching Representative Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) in the halls of Congress. She wanted to ask about her father who is in danger of being deported. No, it is not the best time or way to approach your congressman; but this is a little girl. She manages to get out "Please..." before he cuts her off with "I can't help you. Good to see you."
I don't know what bothers me more about this clip...Mr. Cantor's callous dismissal of Liz Maquez as unimportant or the fear that this is the way politicians--Republican and Democrat; national, state or local--view us.
"I can't help you? Good to see you?" Really? Is that politican-speak for "I'm important, you're not, I don't care/know what you have to say, get out of my way?"
There is no answer to this. I just offer it up as a sad commentary on the self-absorption that rules so much of our world today.
No comments:
Post a Comment