Me and the Duffster

There has been a story on Prince Edward Island recently that has been getting a lot of play. During his maiden speech in the Senate Mike Duffy made a comment about the Premier of PEI agreeing with the Premier of Newfoundland and he used what he thought was a witticism to make his point.

It went something like this, he suggested P. E. I. Premier Robert Ghiz may get the "shaft" by getting in bed with the Premier of Newfoundland, Danny Williams, and that the sight of two politicians in bed is "a grotesque scene." On the Guardian and the CBC websites the postings are about equal and generally fall into two categories.

1. Some think its funny and tell the others to lighten up, it was an obvious attempt at humour to illustrate a point.

2. Others think it was unforgivably offensive and think Mike Duffy should resign or be kicked out of the Senate.

I tend to agree with the first and mildly think that at the very worst it was an error in judgement, but only because of the climate of political and every other kind of correctness prevalent in society today. I have to ask the question, why have we progressed to the point where the expression of a simple point of view brings such a personal and righteous attack. Surely to God anyone reading the full text can understand that it was simply a metaphor used to describe Danny Wiliams sometimes outrageous and confrontational behaviour and that anyone who gets to close to him will surely be tarred with the same brush. Here is a sample from the Guardian blogs on the issue.

Donna from Alberta writes: Good for Duffy for telling the scandal mongering media to get lost. It is about time someone did it and Duffy is just the person to do it.

Ron Blacquierre from Stratford, PEI writes: Mr. Duffy is turning out to be nothing but an unelected blow hard who was appointed by the PM to act as one of those little yappy dogs that nip at your ankles.

Mervin Hollingsworth from Saskatoon, Sask. writes: This is typical of the media in Canada. They are like a pack of mad dogs with a bone.

Taxpayer from Charlottetown, PEI writes: How do you spell disappointing. D U F F Y

I am afraid that I am like the Duffster, totally understand him, and am going to wander through life with a puzzled look on my face wondering "what the hell was that all about". If everyone fits into one of the two camps I wonder as I draw my last breaths if I will think "I wish I thought the opposite", I don't think I will, and I don't believe I was bad person because if it. It depresses me though that this is where we find ourselves.