MARCH MORON OF THE MONTH

Here it is only March 5th and already I have chosen a moron of the month. Normally I would wait for the month to come closer to the end but this particular gentleman screams for recognition without wait.

He is Rep. Jeff Eldridge, Democrat, West Virginia.

I have always thought West Virginia was a strange place. After all how else would you explain Robert Byrd. But with all due respect to Senator Byrd, Rep Eldridge has surpassed moronic behavior. What did he do you ask? Well this bastion of good sense and high moral purpose has introduced legislation to outlaw the Barbie doll. That’s right poor little innocent Barbie. It seems Eldridge believes that young girls who play with Barbie dolls are led to pay too much attention to looks and body image at the expense of intelligence and emotional development.

The Barbie doll just celebrated her 50th birthday. That is unheard of for a single toy. Dolls come and go. Hardly ever does a single toy, let alone a doll, transcend many generations. The Barbie that is sold today is virtually the same doll that was available to the mothers of the current owners as well as their grandmothers in some cases.

Through the years Barbie has suffered criticism from many quarters. Her body was too perfect. It caused young girls to have low self esteem because their bodies didn’t measure up. There were other criticisms also but it doesn’t matter because she survived and prospered in spite of the bad reviews. Both my daughter and now her daughter are big fans as well as owners. I am pleased to say that both have managed to succeed in spite of a close association with all things Barbie.

No matter your opinion of Barbie, the real issue here is a furthering of the nanny state. People like Rep. Eldridge seem to think that their opinion is the only one that should be considered. Like February’s moron there seems to be this belief that legislators are elected not as our representatives, but rather as our mommies and daddies.

To Rep. Eldridge and those who think like him, I have some advice. Butt out. Concern yourself with matters such as taxes and growth. Deal with the great issues of the day and leave parenting to parents. If you are a father and don’t want your daughter or son for that matter to have a Barbie, for goodness sake don’t buy one.

I understand you could not get any other legislator to sign on the legislation with you. Do you not get the message? What country do you think this is? Once again, what part of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” do you not understand? You and your fellow morons will continue to be the butt of jokes until you get the big picture. This is America. Mattel is entitled to produce and sell their dolls in any state without your interference. They have done so for fifty years and your legislative attempt will just become another footnote in the sad history of “Nanny State” nonsense.

I can only hope the people of West Virginia come to their senses soon and rid themselves of politicians like you. But when you consider that Robert Byrd has spent two or three lifetimes in Washington, it seems unlikely.

Ron Scarbro March 5, 2009