Today, Alex announced he had won a regular trivia contest -- thrown by Karl Rove, via his Twitter page (For some reason, the American Right loves Twitter).
I posted this letter for Alex, which took a lot longer to say what another poster summed up in one sentence ("Get a life.").
Alex, I've enjoyed reading much of what you've written at Salon -- but in all seriousness, why are you having anything to do with this person?
Over the years (in a professional capacity), I've met the likes of Edward Teller, a few notable major criminals; even former members of Hitler's inner circle -- and I don't have any memorabilia of my contact with them.
It's arguable (at the moment) whether Rove committed crimes which violated and harmed the Constitution, and the people, of the United States. In my opinion, Rove was very much a party to creating the eight years of witless excess, vengeful abuse, and ends-over-means short-sightedness that are the hallmarks of George Bush and his administration.
There are people (and I don't suggest you're one) who seem pathetically addicted to the idea of fame, of getting somehow close to it -- even if the people they connect with are infamous for behavior we would never teach our children; in fact, behavior we try and protect them from. Rove can ask to have others participate in the fiction that he's still a popular and vital part of the contemporary American scene. We don't have to, though.
Having Rove's signed picture, framed, beside the Bacon Salt may seem just a hip item, tinged with irony -- but let me ask you: Would you participate in a contest by, say, Silvio Berlusconi? Robert Mugabe? Haldeman, Erlichman? Would you enter a contest thrown by Oliver North, frame his signed photo and display it?
The self-images of people who commit unethical, even illegal, acts and are loudly, emphatically proud of doing them, should not be given support or encouragement; any connection to them shouldn't be considered a point of pride, however obscure.
Maybe I'm just too moralistic and principled (Get off my lawn, you Goddamn kids!!). But I don't think Alex will agree with my perspective, 'cause having Karl Rove's signed picture framed on your wall is so -- so cool.
Isn't it?
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