Tuesday, December 7, 2004
Check out the comment on the previous post.
Provocative idea, sensitively offered. I thought about it and decided against it. Here's why: The fundamental reason is my mother's seriousness in regard to her decision. To put it bluntly, suppose "you" decide to join or return to the Navy, work up your excitement about it, day dream about the adventure upon which you're about to embark and trot excitedly to the recruiting station only to be told, on sight, that you're 4-F, for some reason so obvious that you're flabbergasted you didn't prefigure your classification? How many photographers and journalists would you like to have recording this moment?
My mother is nothing if not sassy and would consider 'sassy gal' an appropriate description of herself; so would I, her other daughters and lots of her relatives, friends and acquaintances. While it's true that it is her 87 year old self who intends to re-up, her 87 year old demented self recognizes no reason why the rest of the world would consider her quest merely entertaining. As well, I can imagine what journalists, photographers and editors would make of this moment, considering the absurd pressure toward patriotism in this country right now. The thing is, my mother didn't enter the Navy out of patriotism. She went for adventure. She isn't interested in going into the Navy now out of patriotism. She's interested in the adventure and feels up to it. In addition, she considers the "war" in Iraq ridiculous, ill considered and badly managed. This isn't how the media would portray her. Her visit to a recruiter's office would be interpreted by a savvy editor for the public in a way that would completely misrepresent her, thus sap dignity from her public persona. My mother has never wanted to be known for anything other than who she is. She would never want to be used to promote a cause with which she disagreed. She turned down a "Teacher of the Year" award, once, to this end [Click here for details]. So, while this is an innovative idea offered with sympathetic thought, for my mother it misses the mark.
Later.
My mother is nothing if not sassy and would consider 'sassy gal' an appropriate description of herself; so would I, her other daughters and lots of her relatives, friends and acquaintances. While it's true that it is her 87 year old self who intends to re-up, her 87 year old demented self recognizes no reason why the rest of the world would consider her quest merely entertaining. As well, I can imagine what journalists, photographers and editors would make of this moment, considering the absurd pressure toward patriotism in this country right now. The thing is, my mother didn't enter the Navy out of patriotism. She went for adventure. She isn't interested in going into the Navy now out of patriotism. She's interested in the adventure and feels up to it. In addition, she considers the "war" in Iraq ridiculous, ill considered and badly managed. This isn't how the media would portray her. Her visit to a recruiter's office would be interpreted by a savvy editor for the public in a way that would completely misrepresent her, thus sap dignity from her public persona. My mother has never wanted to be known for anything other than who she is. She would never want to be used to promote a cause with which she disagreed. She turned down a "Teacher of the Year" award, once, to this end [Click here for details]. So, while this is an innovative idea offered with sympathetic thought, for my mother it misses the mark.
Later.
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