Elizabeth Edwards: Decency Costs Nothing (CBS Free Speech)

[benny05]

Run time: 03:56 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV_QKrSEves   Posted on YouTube: April 17, 2015 By YouTube Member: YouTube Help Views on YouTube: 8779250   Posted on DU: March 04, 2007 By DU Member: benny05 Views on DU: 1069

 
Elizabeth Edwards' PSA on free speech aired on CBS last fall, but it bears repeating in light of the homophobic comments dangled by Ann Coulter for the conservative convention this weekend. No MSM person took Coulter to task that I am aware of today, so I'm reminded that we in the 5th Estate have to use the tiny bits of the 4th Estate to raise positive awareness about kindness and respect for others.

Elizabeth understands this all too well. Elizabeth was a target of hate herself in the last campaign. Here are some excerpts worth sharing from Saving Graces, p 252-3, in which the setting is Grand Junction, CO:

--"On a bench outside the airport gates sat a man, perhaps in his 60's, his hair thinning, the color of his faded jacket and the color of his weathered skin nearly the same, and on his lap he held a handmade sign, maybe 12 by 18 inches, and on the sign a single word, plainly printed: FATSO."

skip a couple of paragraphs to page 253:

--"The sign I realized, was meant for me. It was a thrust of ugliness and meanness, designed to throw me off. The man had made the sign, driven to the airport, parked and sat on that bench for who knows how long, waiting for me to come by, so that I would read his sign, so I would see that someone, a plain old man, called me Fatso."

--there were 3 Secret Service agents and my little team, more than the usual load. "Did you see that guy?" I could tell 2 things from the way the Secret Service had responded: they had hoped I hadn't seen it, and they were mad."

This is how John and Elizabeth Edwards operate. They "shrug" this off, but as Elizabeth and John say, this talk has no place in our society at large.

http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/3/3/172259/3775

But like any president or first lady, it is important to keep the message focused, then move on. The difference in the response here, and one I haven't seen in the past 6 years, is one of true empathy. I think empathy, a real saving grace, is what the Edwards as a family will bring to the White House in 2009.

[Catchawave]

1. Thanks for posting this.....

KnR too :hi:

[benny05]

2. Thanks, it's a keeper video

Elizabeth is just so even. She's a great model, albeit I want to rant sometimes about cruel words that are said about gays, working poor (ie the GOP shill), and people with no voice in general in our political system. The blogsophere is what we have at present. I hope Dems will step and take more action than they have been.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. There are times I wish our Secret Service had the power of that other SS...

"They were mad."

turns into:

"They were mad. And thus began the bloodbath that ended with the man's head piked to the front of a FedEx cargo transport on its way to China, the FATSO sign cleverly embedded in what was left of his torso's asscrack, suspended from a utility pole".

[benny05]

4. Not EE's style

But the humor is not lost either! LOL!

[Carolina Voice]

5. Elizabeth is always worth repeating.

The lady is a source of light. Thanks and thanks for the video, too.

[benny05]

6. She is

You have a great video of JRE too I saw today on his blog.

http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2007/3/3/222749/3734

I think it ought to be posted here, in light of Selma, and JRE out at Berkeley today too.

[sparkleon]

7. Elizabeth Edwards

is indeed a role model and a mentor for all women. She is strong, vibrant, says what she means, and a great asset to her husband, JRE. I welcome with open arms their reign in the White House for the upcoming election and may it last for eight years. I want my grandchildren to experience what a real President does for the good of mankind! :)

[benny05]

8. Welcome back to the DU, Sparkle On

I don't have kids or grandkids, but we need some positive role models in our society, starting at the top, meaning the WH. The Bushes and the Cheneys have not filled the bill.

[america_in_08]

9. Elizabeth and John Edwards set a really good example.

They work together and take care about people's feelings.

[cynthia]

10. that lady has class

:kick:

[aaronbees]

11. Funny, I was just about to post this....

and then discovered it had already been posted. Particularly poignant to see it now. Here's to Elizabeth Edwards, a decent person with grit and decency aplenty, and best wishes to her fight against cancer.