Ann Romney, Blessed Martyr
by Elias Isquith on August 31, 2012
I see that Yglesias was annoyed, as was I, by the sections of Romney’s speech devoted to celebrating Mrs. Romney for being a homemaker — work that the GOP nominee characterized as far more important than his own in private equity (as well as, presumably, public office). For those who missed last night’s events, or were too gobsmacked by Clint Eastwood’s performance art to process Mitt’s address, here’s an excerpt:
<snip>
There’s a doth protest too much quality to saying that Ann’s work wasn’t equally important but more important. Her struggles with the children while Mitt was away are described as “tough,” her performance “heroic.” Unsaid but implied: Ann sacrificed for the Romney family in a way Mitt, though he suffered, never truly did. Yet her suffering was worth it because it was in service to a greater cause.
This is not the kind of language we use to describe our equals; this is how we describe our martyrs. Maybe this partially explains why Romney’s comfortable acting as a vehicle for a set of policies indifferent — or outwardly hostile to — the interests of working mothers. Why be just another worker when the far more important task of martyrdom awaits?
http://ordinary-gentlemen.com/eliasisquith/2012/08/ann-romney-blessed-martyr/
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