Last week President Obama told America that same-sex couples ought to have the right to marry. It was, as Diane Sawyer said, “an historic political and cultural moment in this country,” brought to you by special report on ABC.
Get ready for some history. Here it is:
“At a certain point, I’ve just concluded that for me personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.”
At a certain point
I’ve just concluded
that for me
personally
it is important
for me
to go ahead
and affirm
that I think
that historic moments shouldn’t hide at the end of the sentence after so many
empty words.
sweat and sprezzatura 
Because so much depends on that damn wheelbarrow, for one thing.
You could hear him praying with every superfluous phrase for the sound feed to die.
Your mention of the wheelbarrow will see me through the day.
Of all the supernumerary words, the word “personally” is really the key. It sort of subtly implies that most politicians make their private ethical decisions impersonally–which is probably true, but is still horrifying.
I think “personally” implies that it’s just my opinion and you may feel differently. It’s a hedging word.
Well you’re right, but “for me” already takes care of that–the adverb is redundant redundant–so I thought I would use the opening to take a swipe at the negotiable morality of politicians (an easy target, but one that seems germane considering that the president’s idea of what is right has “evolved” to a moral stance that everyone knew he had anyway).
He had the humility not to pretend speaking for the Nation though he sure was talking to it, especially after North Carolina the day before. A coiurageous man if not a bold one.
Maybe this is humility at work, but it isn’t very elegant.
oh shoot!
i thought this was going to be an Abba post. isn’t that “I dreamed a dream”?
OK maybe no one would accuse Shakespeare of using empty words, but aren’t most of his well known quotes at the end of “subordinate” material?
Not sure what you mean about Shakespeare. Can you give me an example?
They mess you up, these empty words …
🙂
“……historic moments shouldn’t hide at the end of the sentence after so many
empty words……”
Because this historic moment was so revolutionary (well, revolutionary for you who reside between the Rio Grande and 49th Parallel), President Obama may have thought it best to use the “Break It To Me Gently” method when announcing it.
Yeah, but, I’m still going to complain (as I did to Paul) that I’d like a little more elegance of expression.
Says something about politics when you have to be uncomfortable when articulating what you believe in.
Yep. That’s it exactly!
WTM? You be president, then.
WTM? You be blogmaster, then.
So what’s your dream? That one day historic moments won’t be tacked on to strings of vapid verbiage anymore?
One day?
The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here…
Shakespeare?
sled, u have a way with words… without the extra words :0
Lincoln. Gettysburg Address. Pretty historic times (that Obama ought to hold in particular regard for several layers of reasons)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address#Text_of_Gettysburg_Address
Prepared words, but delivered, so history tells us, by a man who was fomenting a fairly serious illness, and composed his remarks on the train.
As I have lamented before, language is a dazzling arsenal, and most people use it like a heavy blunt instrument. When some of those people are politicians, it amounts to dereliction of duty. Agh. Don’t get me started.
Shakespeare? I thought Bukowski.
Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly…
Nietzsche?
Thanks, Cyberquill.
Now, I’m imagining young Judy Garland singing “Over the Rainbow” in German.
Down stage center, at the end of Rheingold.
“……The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here…….”
Lincoln was wrong, for the world noted then, notes today, and still remembers what he said at Gettysburg.
It is those who died there whom the world may no longer remember.
Don’t you think Lincoln knew that the world would note, and long remember, his words? This is just a (very effective) bit of rhetorical charm.