The Fourth Estate

Harper’s called the right of it. The general public (of which I am a bona fide member) just don’t care that he and the Ottawa press gallery are having a spat. My only real observation on the whole story other than who really cares is that it’s really long past the time when the fourth estate took what my grandmother called a closer walk.

Since the CPC won the election I have been treated to the sight of what feels like a million and one articles displaying the best tabloid journalism the msm dailies have to offer. I am sick of pieces analyzing or criticizing his weight, his hair, his eyes, and his clothing style. Nor do I need any more in-depth articles centering on the fact that when Harper drops off his son he shakes his son’s hand rather than posing for hugs and kisses for the benefit of the Ottawa press.

The fact that Harper drops off his son and shakes his hand does not make Harper emotionally inadequate, cold or needy. For all the press play that one got, not one reporter anywhere in the country (that I read) raised the possibility that perhaps, just perhaps, Harper was being sensitive to the emotional well-being of his son. I’ve raised two boys Harper’s son age, and not one of them would have appreciated me playing kissie face with them as I dropped them off in the schoolyard. The fact that the press was out in full force with the national cameras rolling would just have heightened their distaste for any but the coolest good-byes.

And so what if Harper sent out a general gag memo to all CPC MP’s on the impending nuptials of two openly gay Mounties? I say, it’s about time. And thank the heavens for small mercies that there is grown-up in charge in the prime minister’s chair. Look, gay marriage is truly here to stay whether you object to it on religious, social or aesthetic grounds. Nor did the CPC win its’ mandate to govern based on dissolving gay marriage.

You can attempt to turn back the legislative clocks in this country but gay people are still going to form unions; always have, always will. Time to move on and the best way to move on is not to have the thoughtless rantings of any MP voicing their disapproval for whatever reasons splattered across the headlines of the national papers or being the lead into the evening news. Like it use to read over the banner of The Monger, “I would be happy to live in country where happily married gay couples had assault rifles in the closet.” One more thing; for the couple concerned, it’s a happy time, does anyone have the right to shit on their parade? It costs us nothing, so let them have their day in peace.

I voted for Harper, and I did so not because I am a dyed-in-the-wool CPC member or even a blogging tory, and I made it plain that it was simply the hold my nose and vote ‘vote’. No current political party holds my loyalty but other Canadian political parties certainly earned my spleen, so the CPC got my $1.75. Next time, who knows? Maybe, I'll just keep it in my pocket. But you know what? Prime Minister Harper has been doing a far better job than I expected him to do. This is no Mulroney Tory – that’s for damn sure.

One of the reasons I started to blog is that I felt ill-served by what journalists in this country were writing. No one was asking the questions I wanted answered. I suspect most of my fellow bloggers felt a similar kind of disconnect to the main stream media. If anything, publishers should take heed that a new day has dawned and time to sack the Summer of Love reporters and reconnect to the public that the media are supposedly to serve. Take a long hard look, Harper isn’t out of step with the times but time waits for no one – not even the fourth estate.