| One really has to wonder what is going on up in Hartford these days when we read that the Senate with a vote of 34 - 1 and now the House with a vote of 96 - 45 has approved Jodi Rell's nomination of World Wrestling Entertainment's CEO, Linda McMahon, to a seat on the 11-member State Board of Education. You read that right, the CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment was today approved to sit on the State Board of Education. You can't make this stuff up!
It seems that in Connecticut government, money and power speak louder than common sense these days. It was hard to see how Jodi Rell could select someone with such dubious credentials to sit on a state board that deals with crucial issues effecting the children of our state. It is equally hard to understand how the legislature could rubber stamp this ludicrous selection by such an overwhelming margin.
Two weeks ago, the Hartford Courant reported that:
In the Senate, Sen. Joan Hartley, a Waterbury Democrat, was the only one to vote against McMahon, saying she believes McMahon would be better suited for boards other than the one that helps set state education policy.
Sen. Hartley should be applauded for her principled stance. As reported in the Hartford Courant today, in the House:
Many high-level Democrats voted against the nomination, including House Majority Leader Denise Merrill of Storrs, deputy speaker David McCluskey of West Hartford, deputy majority leader Melissa Olson of Norwich, longtime judiciary committee co-chairman Michael Lawlor, and the co-chairwoman of the higher education committee, Rep. Roberta Willis of Lakeville. None of them spoke from the floor. Rep. Andrew Fleischmann of West Hartford, who co-chairs the education committee, also voted against McMahon.
A few brave souls did speak against this lunacy:
Rep. Shawn T. Johnston, a Thompson Democrat, said that professional wrestling has changed sharply from decades ago and is now featuring "very beautiful, scantily clad women'' who are often engaged in pillow fights and other contests that he said are not in the best interests of children.
and
Rep. Jack Thompson, a Manchester Democrat, said that America already has enough violence without promoting the matter even further.
"It seems to me that we're sending the wrong message to people - that violence is all right,'' said Thompson. "It's the wrong message. I grew up with a professional wrestler. He lived behind me. We were great friends. At one point, he was Sinbad the Sailor when he was the bad guy. ... When people are jumping off ropes onto other people, it sends the wrong message to children.''
But supporters of McMahon offered such sound logic as the following:
But House Republican leader Lawrence Cafero of Norwalk warned legislators that they should not oppose nominees simply because their professions or activities "might be interpreted as not right for children.'' He asked if lawmakers would vote in the future against smokers because society does not want children to smoke. "So where do we draw the line, folks?'' Cafero asked.
Mr. Cafero, are you serious? You can actually stand up and say this with a straight face. When considering a nominee for the State Board of Education, we shouldn't consider the candidate's profession or activities that might not be "right for children"! Seriously?
How about considering other candidates who have more educational qualifications and who haven't made it their life's work to promote a fake sport that exploits women and glorifies steroid use and violent and abusive behavior? Is anyone in the state legislature thinking about what's best for our children or are they only thinking about their campaign coffers?
See the full story in the Hartford Courant here |
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