Is It Time?

“Is It Time?” The Walrus asks.             `

Is it time to speak of shoes and ships?  Of cabbages and kings?  Or even politics?

That poem, The Walrus and the Carpenter, by C.S.Lewis, is written in Victorian nonsense verse.  Morally, it’s a poem about greed and power.  I’ve always liked the poem, and I especially like the Walrus, so it came as no surprise when he asked if it was time for me to speak of politics. 

Absolutely not, I replied to the Walrus. That’s your job.  But let’s take a moment to recall an instance that shines brightly as political generosity, grace and goodwill.  It may be a long time before we see such a thing again, so let’s revisit it.

The year was 2008.  Senator John McCain was campaigning in Minnesota. He was mingling with the audience and a woman had the microphone.  She said she was afraid of Senator Obama.  That she didn’t trust him.  She went on in the same vein for a bit. Senator McCain gently relieved her of the microphone and said: “No ma’am.  Senator Obama is a decent man, a family man, a citizen.” 

Senator McCain kept his cool and quietly but firmly diffused the woman’s concerns and fears.  In essence, he defended Senator Obama, despite their stated fundamental political differences.

He must have been channeling Ruth Bader Ginsberg who popularized the old saying: “We can disagree without being disagreeable.”

BTW, it’s also good to revisit RBG whenever we have a chance.  The Walrus and I agree about that.

Image courtesy of Art UK