Robin Smith, former Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party and congressional candidate.Growing up in the era of Mother Goose, Little Red Riding Hood and other fairy tales, the phrase, “once upon a time” was an often-heard part of bedtime reading. Sadly, such a make-believe, contrived culture is alive and well today and driving our public policy.
The absolute absurdity of an adult having a “girlfriend” whom he actually never met, but supposedly began “dating” in November of 2009 through an online relationship is a pathetic snapshot of our superficial world. Notre Dame University football star Manti Te’o made an exasperated attempt in a television interview with Katie Couric to justify his lying even after learning of the hoax: “… my whole world told me that she died on Sept. 12. Everybody knew that. This girl, who I committed myself to, died on Sept. 12.”
Only in 2013 could we see someone “committed” to phone conversations and social media.
Just prior to the unraveling of the fake-girlfriend-hoax was the Lance Armstrong “admission” that he had blood doped and was the superstar bully of cycling after years spent denying such charges. Winning and personal notoriety being the apparent obsession of Armstrong, extravagant blood transfusions and use of performance-enhancing substances was embraced as part of his routine. This ruse of “Livestrong” elevated a narcissist who was only superior in performance because of cheating and lying.
Moving into the realm of public policy, we watch with disgust, adults claiming to be leaders of our nation ignore the dangers of a government that has promised too much, spent too much and now, plans to “increase revenues” by taxing the shrinking productive population too much.