Because there's been a ton of it of late.
Let's start with Joe Wilson, a member of the House of Representatives, calling the President of the United States a liar during a joint session of Congress.
LaGarrette Blount, a football player, cold-cocking a rival after being taunted.
Kayne West, an entertainer, taking the microphone during an acceptance speech to tell everyone that the award recipient was not the rightful winner.
Serena Williams, a champion tennis player, describing to a line judge in graphic, anatomical terms where she was planning on inserting a tennis ball.
Then there's Glenn Beck, of Fox News, who accused President Obama of being "a racist".
Let's also give a shout out to selected districts in Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia and Wisconsin for electing not to show President Obama's speech to school children, saying that the speech was "Promoting a political agenda and overstepping the boundaries of Federal involvement in schools."
But the best, most amazing example of bad behavior goes to State Senator Steve Russell of Oklahoma who said of Obama before the President's speech to the school children of this country, "As far as I'm concerned, this is not civics education -- it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality. This is something you'd expect to see in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein's Iraq."
A 'cult of personality'? Anyone, anywhere know what that is? And how might you expect to see that, whatever it is, in North Korea or in Saddam Hussein's Iraq? I didn't realize Russell was an expert in cults of personality, nor of North Korea or Iraq. Clearly, he's an educated man. I've simply got to get him to come over for dinner.
What's astounding is that all of this happened in the last few weeks. Taken together, it's an epidemic of truly atrocious behavior.
Maybe this is Swine Flu, if you know what I mean and I'm sure you do. If so, it seems to be contagious and quite virulent. (That means, medically speaking, 'highly infective, malignant or deadly'. Got that Senator, Congressman, and Glenn? Or should I write slower?)
The symptoms of this Swine Flu include:
- An absolute lack of common decency
- Espousing a position and claiming it as fact without concern for accuracy
- A self-centered, completely egotistical belief that you can say anything to anyone at anytime because of who you are
- Intentionally causing harm and/or embarrassment to another in public, and/or, given the opportunity,
- Demonstrating a complete disrespect for the Office of the President of the United States.
Too many big words for you, Joe, LaGarrette, Kayne, Serena, Glenn, Steve? Okay, let me say it in a way you can understand: It's being embarrassingly stupid, rude, and hurtful. And did I mention rude? In other, other words: Acting like a pig. In public.
Unfortunately, only LaGarrette has to pay the price for having Swine Flu, even after apologizing profusely. He's been suspended from his team for the year (an admirable move by the University of Oregon).
Given the way this country works, the rest have gotten hundreds of thousands of dollars of donations (Joe), plenty of publicity (Kayne, Serena, Steve), and the opportunity to continue speaking unabashedly and without substance to millions (Glenn).
And here's the kicker, making this spate of bad behavior even worse to swallow: There's a segment of our population that's clearly drawn to people who have Swine Flu. Maybe because they admire people who have it. Or, possibly, because they have it, too.
Regardless, it's been a bad few weeks but let's hope next week is better. Get your rest, drink plenty of liquids and avoid anyone who behaves badly. You wouldn't want to catch Swine Flu, would you? It's nasty. Just look at the people who have it.
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