Bachmann’s ‘temerity’ suggests ‘Light Brigade’ wasn’t a misfire
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 11:40 am
- 5 Comments
Rep. Michele Bachmann’s recent choice of words suggests she knew what she saying when she invoked the “sadly ludicrous” Crimean War episode from Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade” at a Capitol Hill anti-health care reform rally.
The Minnesota congresswoman’s rallying cry, “It’s the charge of the light brigade!” drew mockery from politico-literary critics in America and in Tennyson’s homeland. That’s because the poem depicts one of the great military snafus of all time, with British soldiers showing courage as they faced certain slaughter by following misguided orders.
Here is Bachmann’s full-throated literary reference, via Talking Points Memo:
But maybe bravery bordering on foolishness is what Bachmann wants from her followers, as indicated by what she told Sean Hannity Monday about the fight against health care reform on his Fox News TV show: ”What this shows is the temerity of the American people.”
Did she mean “tenacity” — persistence in seeking a shared goal? That’d make more sense, since “temerity,” is defined by Merriam-Webster as “unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition.” But that’s not what she said.
And the crowd ate it up: Bachmann drew the biggest applause of the day.
Watch Bachmann speak in these two YouTube videos shot from within the crowd. Neither is high quality but both capture the feeling of the anti-health care reform forces on the apparent eve of the legislation’s passage. The first one has poor sound but shows Bachmann at about the 4:50 mark:
The second video has better sound, beginning at about the 2:15 mark, although Bachmann isn’t visible:
5 Comments
Comment posted December 16, 2009 @ 2:12 pm
Ooooohhhh you caught her in a verbal vortex, didn’t ya?
Good thing you are so persistent.
Comment posted December 16, 2009 @ 2:38 pm
Well, since you liberal lemmings are so talented at spinning the context of the word, “trick” in ClimateGate emails, let me take a shot at what I believe Ms. Bachmann was trying to say:
With a decisive majority in both houses of Congress, where Democratic legislation could easily be enacted with nary a passing thought towards the outnumbered Republican minority, it would seem foolhardy – in the face of such opposition – to think such a small (!!!) band of protesters could have any effect on the outcome, n’est-ce pas?
Yet this tiny (as characterized by the liberal left) band of “AstroTurf” protesters boldly presses forward – though “mainstream media” refuse to acknowledge their actions – knowing full well their efforts may be in vain.
Temerity, indeed.
Of course, I presume I won’t need to connect the dots so even you can understand!
p.s. – Impress me with yours and your fearless leader’s bipartisan willingness to show both sides of the issue by printing this!
Comment posted December 16, 2009 @ 2:45 pm
Whoever could have guessed that the bloodsucking parasitic health insurance industry could have inspired so much emotional support among the peasantry? Bill McGuire with his stolen millions must be so touched by this outpouring of public love and devotion.
Comment posted December 17, 2009 @ 10:50 pm
I think not following orders and charging headlong into a battery of cannon to your own doom is a great metaphor for the attack on Health Care Reform.
Comment posted December 22, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
Conservative crowds are not really listening or analyzing the words of their heroes. Liberty. Tyranny. Freedom. Fight. Temerity. Tenacity. Whatever. Just get THAT MAN out of THEIR white house! APPLAUSE
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