Americans and Speech. We've become too thin-skinned and polite with Words. Many of us still live by a script. We've made progress in the last few years with efforts to retire PC-Speak--but it's still a Mr. Rogers-Fest. Maybe Sarah could help.
We'll say it again. The idea of Bedford, New Hampshire's Sarah Kate Silverman temporarily chucking writing and performing mega-edgy comedy, and holding elected office for a few years, does appeal to us. Greatly. And why not? She's smart, energetic, outspoken, attractive, photogenic and young. Three weeks ago, on December 1, she turned 40.
She's not PC, either--she intuitively gets and uses the First Amendment--and America sure could use that. And use it right now. Everyone is so offended by Everything, and so smug, morally superior and emotional on All Subjects, that the inevitable has happened: no one can think straight. Ideology is the new substitute for thought. Contempt prior to investigation is the reigning methodology to process remotely alien or threatening ideas.
So try to picture a couple of years from now a new mainstream and new public but more serious Sarah: Rep. Sarah Silverman(D-NH). She could fix PC culture quickly, and just by being herself, provided of course that her language and persona(s) stay the same. No one could profess any longer to be shocked and offended by anything anymore.
Traditionally, of course, and with infrequent but near-heroic past exceptions in Great Britain (Churchill, often Disraeli), the U.S. Senate (Jim Abourezk of South Dakota) and the House (the late Bob Eckhardt of the 8th district in Texas), politicians don't tell you what they really think unless it's convenient.
For centuries, the West has given pols a pass on candor. We get it. Not a problem.
Silverman is a Total Betty, too.
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