Escher: Mobius

Keith Olbermann and Ageism

I certainly don’t want to see John McCain elected president of the United States. His Iraq policies and his economic policies are Bush-all-over-again and signal disaster for our country.

But I also don’t want any American, including McCain, to become the victim of prejudice and stereotyping because of advancing age. It’s called ageism and it’s just as malignant and un-American as sexism, racism or homophobia.

Enter Keith Olbermann. In practically every one of his recent programs he has made a habit of referring to McCain as a tottering old man, implying that because of his age he’s obviously senile, out-of-it and incompetent. Tonight Olbermann was at his worst, denigrating the senator because he had admitted to remembering Pearl Harbor and mocking him as a witness to the original Depression. Olbermann also made a tasteless remark alluding to McCain’s alleged use of “Depends,” an incontinence diaper.

Why is ageism all “okay” in this country? Why would Olbermann feel free to make these kinds of remarks when I doubt he’d dare to make sexist or racist or homophobic remarks in the public forum?

Perhaps we should give the issue some serious thought in terms of examining our basic values as Americans.

Tekkia : Sufi Meeting Place