Jen Kuznicki

It looks like Conor believes that a 55-year-old Tax Attorney who raised 5 children of her own and 23 foster children somehow has less knowledge than a girl who lived on the planet for 16 years.

He is itching to hear this teenager have a verbal duel with Michele Bachmann, a woman who makes more of an impact on anyone who listens to her than Conor could ever hope to.

What I don’t understand is how he attempts to teach his readers what PBS taught him about actual duels where people got killed. In fact, I’m sorry I link to his story below, because it makes me feel personally responsible for those who I send to read his boring post. But alas, that is classic Conor, he always makes a big production centered around a point that he never gets to.

Conor that a 10th grader from New Jersey has sent a letter to Bachmann, challenging her to a debate on the Constitution and other topics.

“Presumably she knows the long odds against a member of Congress apologizing to a teenager or accepting a challenge to debate.�?

Ok, now I think I know where Conor is going with this. So as long as Bachmann apologizes to this kid, she won’t have to be subjected to the duel, right? Gosh I feel like I’m right there in Conor’s head, visualizing an actual duel between a child and Bachmann, which would never take place since Bachmann knows children and their often delusions of grandeur. She’s a mom, Conor, she has class, Conor, she’s not at all like what you envision. He goes on:

“I lament that public figures no longer feel pressure to apologize for bad behavior, or else to meet earnest critics who call it out in a public forum. Refusing to do so ought to be discrediting! “

What bad behavior? I know Conor believes Bachmann has exhibited bad behavior, and he links to other people’s opinion of her supposed bad behavior, and he refers to the child’s charge that Bachmann is inaccurate, but is that bad behavior? The kid is not being specific, and the fact that she is offended does not warrant an apology. Under what possible pretense would a thinking person apologize because she is disagreed with? How does that go?

Michele says, “I believe x.�?
Child says, “I disagree with you, we must debate.�?
In Conor’s world, all Michele has to do is say, “Oh, I’m sorry you disagree with me.�?
Then I guess the debate is over and the kid can say, “Ok, just don’t let it happen again.�?

As much fun as it is to play imagination station with Conor, the idea that he is egging-on a debate on non-specific emotionalized offense from a pubescent toward a woman whose life has centered around understanding and parenting the young and inexperienced, shows his inadequacies as a grown man. I mean, he is a grown man who does not see past politics and his ideology to put this debate-challenge letter in perspective.

I know his intent was to applaud this young girl for really trying to show who is more of a woman, her or Bachmann, but in doing so, he disgraces and belittles motherhood, the love only a mother can have, the quiet understanding of emotional outbursts, the tender moments when a child understands tough life lessons, all this and more that Michele has been through, not only of her own flesh and blood, but of those who she chose to bring into her home and love as her own.

Conor owes Michele an apology. He is old enough to know better.