If I Owned a Newspaper...
If I owned a newspaper, in the style guide I would ban the term "public service" as a synonym for political career, and I would ban the words "public servant" when describing a politician.
Though I have a number of people I pay for services, I consider each of these too honorable a relationship to say these folks are my "servants." But if I did have servants, I absolutely guarantee that:
- They wouldn't take 40% of my pay
- They wouldn't micro-manage the smallest decisions in my life, and
- They wouldn't demand that my kids pledge allegiance to them every morning at school.
Dale:
I couldn't agree more. It makes my skin crawl when I hear politicos refer to themselves as public servants. It's self-serving and perpetuates the myth that there is something noble about being a politician.
May 21, 2007, 7:02 amDarin:
Who is demanding a pledge of allegiance from your kids? The allegiance in question is to the US, not to any politician. And if even that's too much for you, you can always decline to allow your kid to participate. You may not like it, you may think is inappropriate, you may think it's not the role of the public schools, but to say it's "demanded" or directed to politicians is nonsense. That's a bit of overheated rhetoric on your part. You can do better.
May 21, 2007, 12:21 pmspeedmaster:
Great point! Think of Robert Byrd as an example.
May 21, 2007, 4:50 pmsakthi:
It is utter stupidity to refer politician as "public servant".We all know 90% of them coming to politics for money or for power,Then why should we refer them as public servant?
May 24, 2007, 12:19 amBreakdown Insurance
markm:
"public servant" is just a misspelling. It should be "serpent".
May 24, 2007, 2:09 pm