admiration and defeat

My cousin Amy was one of the chosen few to ask a question on the Federal Leadership debates in English last night. As the other pea in my pod, I was so thrilled to see her sock it to the big guys…who never did answer her question (of course).

I admired Amy for still having the drive to have a question, and to expect an answer from any of the four politicians. I’m 24, and I already feel so disillusioned that I would never even try to ask one of those slippery men a substantive question.

However “disillusioned” I feel, I guess I’m still naïve enough to wonder why the leaders don’t just answer directly and honestly. Would Stephen Harper really lose any followers by frankly acknowledging his personal intolerance for non-heterosexual rights? Would Paul Martin really threaten his reign by conceding that corruption was endemic in the liberal party over the past years? It seems to me that both are public knowledge, and yet maybe the slick ducking and dodging actually does fool the dumber half of the Canadian population—and apparently they’re the only ones voting.

In the video clip played at the debate I saw Amy fight to restrain her personality. She has such a vivacious demeanor and watched her struggle to suppress the intonation, the sarcasm, and the exaggerated facial expressions that so define who she is. Alas, she had to fit in with the context of the debate--and they don't allow honest personalities in politics.

However skilled they may be, the editors weren’t quick enough to catch the wry smile that escaped Amy at the very end…I am allowed some hope.