How to Behave When Company Comes

Tomorrow is the day that Pope Francis is scheduled to speak to a joint session of Congress*. As everyone prepares for the spectacle, some members of Congress, unused to the need to exercise civil and respectful behavior, have asked their - for want of a better term - leadership to provide some guidelines on how to dress and act during the Pope's appearance. This is important because, as one article on the subject put it,

"Francis is famous for making political audiences uncomfortable, and his calls for global leaders to reduce inequality and to act on climate change might sound like an address by President Obama to some Republican lawmakers. At the same time, the pope’s opposition to abortion rights could make some Democrats uncomfortable and lead to GOP cheers, especially given the charged debate over federal funding for Planned Parenthood that’s threatening to trigger a government shutdown** at the end of the month."

If you are surprised that people who are supposed to be grown adults with responsibilities at the national - and, indeed, international - level should need to ask for advice on how to behave, you have clearly not been observing Congressional behavior over the last few years. This is, after all, the body in which a member*** shouted "You lie!" at the President of the United States while he was addressing Congress. One member, Representative Paul Gosnar of Arizona, has already announced that he will boycott the Pope's speech because the Pope might talk about climate change instead of just sticking to religion⁺.

Nevertheless, our elected reprehensives have promised to be on their best behavior during the Pope's visit, even if they need some adult guidance on how to do it.

Now if we could only find someone to give them some adult guidance on how to behave like responsible men and women doing the people's business, rather than doing their business on the people.

Have a good day. Listen to what the Pope has to say, even if you don't agree with him. It's the respectful thing to do, after all.

More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo

* For those of you unfamiliar with this expression, it means that Congress is easier to understand after you've smoked a joint ... or two.

** This is what educated and responsible people might call "government by petulant blackmail."

*** Representative Joe Wilson (R, SC), that paragon of respectful civility.

⁺ Imagine that ... the man who is supposed to be the representative of God on earth daring to talk about the importance of protecting our common home! As far as we know, God hasn't provided a spare for us to use once we wreck this one.