THE MEASURE OF A MAN

Having read several articles in the past couple of days about how the Hispanic/Latino communities support Alberto Gonzalese' nomination as Attorney General, I got to thinking what kind of message this sends to minorities, the underprivileged and the disenfranchised. To me it says simply, play ball with the powerful, rent out your integrity, and you will be rewarded. That's not the "inspiring" personal story usually associated with Gonzales' upward rise. Sure I acknowledge that he came from poverty and deprivation, but let's face it, he was born smart (no credit to him) and received a full scholarship to Harvard, benefitting from the very move towards diversity in universities and the business community that his Bush cronies would now like to deny to others. But what do we mean by "lift up"? It seems to me the media refers almost exclusively to financial and social advancement. What, exactly, is "inspiring" about that?

I'm inspired when people devote their lives to the betterment of humanity; I'm inspired when people grow in stature morally and ethically. The fact that a man or woman increases their wealth and social status doesn't wind my clock. There's more to money...but the media, Republicans, and right-wing Christians, who "judge a man by the size of his wallet" (apologies to Oiver Stone/Martin Sheen) have either forgotten or are fast forgetting that fact.

My mama and daddy taught me to judge a person by their impact on their fellow man. Alberto Gonzales' contributions to American society include endorsing and justifying torture and enabling an execution-mad Texas governor.

Nothing there to inspire but fear and outrage.