The mainstream media has been all over the story that Democrats and Republicans, Liberals and Progressives, Donkeys and Elephants, cats and dogs may be sitting together at the State of the Union Address on the 21st. I have seen some fairly strong reactions to the seating arrangement and have recently received a letter to the editor that expresses a reasonable concern.
Editor,
Please consider this an open letter to the Speaker & anyone else who thinks tradition is a good thing to junk at SOTU.
I have played in politics over my 51 years & have learned that tradition & appearance are both HUGE. That alone is a a good reason to keep mixed seating out of the SOTU event. But there is so much more this time.
Mr. Speaker we are a divided nation & November gave those of us who feel embattled a glimmer of hope. Our House listened & voted to repeal that job killing abomination we “fondly” call obamacare. But now, you & the rest of the GOP want to bend to the dim dems will & sit in a glut much like the Soviet Politburo of old.
No, Mr. Speaker, we are divided. There is much work to do. We are angry at 4 years of virtual coventry from the politicians who are supposed to represent us (your party included). In November, we demanded a turning of the tide. In the ice of January, we need to see a visual representation of our verizon moment. You see, Mr. Speaker, we still live in fear that you really aren’t listening. We expect to see the debt ceiling raised & our demands for spending cuts ignored.
Give us the ass on 1 side & the elephant on the other when obama fires up his teleprompters for SOTU. We can see 2012 in the distance but it’s still a long road. We need this.
Laura R. Charron
Emmett, MI
I think you have a valid point and perhaps there is a deeper one that I have gleaned from your poignant letter.
Yes we are divided, perhaps more than any time in recent history. Simply sitting together does not symbolize togetherness, it symbolizes a lie that appears to be togetherness.
Perhaps symbols are even more hurtful when they don’t represent the truth. Do they then stand as another reminder of the 800lb gorilla in the room?
By sitting separately we acknowledge that we have vastly different viewpoints. Pretending to be the same is just dishonest.
Thank you for the letter, it truly made me think.
I quite agree with the “Symbolism” that Rich pointed out. The fact -filled statement-letter says exactly how every single conservative I know feels: The hell with fake symbolism. Sabe that for the ignorants stupid enough to believe in this ploy. It is a Dem idea. Funny how, for 4 straight years of miserable tricks, rule-breaking and shutting republicans out of debate, these Liberals now scream for an honest debate! No sir! No sitting together, no playing nicey nicey, no more phoney charades!They waged war on us for 4 years, and now its time to fight back and be just as forceful as they have been.