I'm totally with you on this one, Holly. Why a grown man who presumably wishes to be considered capable and respectable chooses to appear like a clown is beyond me. What's his message to his constituents? Whom does he imagine he's "sticking it" to? Dressing appropriate to the circumstances does not trigger depressive episodes. I'm in a position to know.
Agreed. It's appalling, and if anything, dressing up is more likely to help his depression. There's a reason why the first thing any competent clinician asks a seriously depressed patient is whether they're eating right, exercising, showering daily, etc. Keeping up a modicum of self-care is a crucial part of managing depression. This includes dressing appropriately.
You did a great job of illustrating your bona fidas with regard to reasonable accommodation, but I had to chuckle because it doesn't matter to the people who think any accommodation is reasonable. For these people, if Fetterman wants to wear a clown wig, a horsetail butt plug and no shoes, that would be just fine. It makes a mockery of people who need real and reasonable accommodation to pretend like anything goes.
The really stupid part of this is that on a Senator's salary, you can buy very comfortable formal wear that looks like a nice suit, but feels like you're wearing sweatpants. There's no reason whatsoever for Fetterman to wear his gym rat outfit instead of getting tailored, comfortable suits.
I didn't even think of that. Wow, it makes it much more appalling. I get wanting to be comfortable -- I am typing this wearing Halloween themed thermal underwear (black, with a white skeleton printed on them!) and a pair of gym shorts on top (so I can have pockets). I dress like this all through the autumn and winter. Putting on jeans and a hoodie to go to therapy IS my version of respectful dressing up, LOL. But if I had a wedding, funeral, court appearance, etc.? I'd dress appropriately. And I do not have a Senator's salary to go shopping with. There simply is no excuse for Fetterman, or for the rest of the Senate putting up with it.
Excellent essay! I was stunned they made the accommodation! What's next? Will members of a police force, or military be allowed to work "out of uniform" in roles that currently require them? Well, no of course not, because... it's only senators that are allowed this accommodation and NO ONE else. Whooooo - that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. I hope the lame decision they made to bend to Fetterman's infantile behavior will come back and bite them in the arse! I agree with you - shame on them!
Excellent article (as usual). I'm teaching a Critical Thinking class to a group of 5 high schoolers in a homeschool co-op, and (with your permission) I would like to share this with them as a great example of the importance of making distinctions, recognizing nuance and being principled in our arguments, rather than resorting to extremes and all-or-nothing, tribalistic arguments, which are pervasive in politics today (e.g., Fetterman is a D; D's are bad; therefore, any request by Fetterman for an accommodation should be denied. Or the flip: Fetterman is a D; D's oppose R's; R's are bad; therefore, Fetterman should be allowed to do anything that makes it easier for him to vote).
Something about this episode just doesn’t add up. At a minimum, Fetterman stands accused of lacking the mental capacity to perform his job duties as a United States senator. I won’t venture into that argument one way or another, even though the answer seems obvious. Consequently, if he were indeed mentally competent, he would make every effort to look and act the part of a competent professional. Wouldn’t you? So it makes no sense for Lurch to dress like a vagrant and draw attention to his own incompetence. There is more going on with this story than is being publicly revealed.
Sadly, I think your last sentence is probably true so much of the time, about so much in our lives, that it should be regarded as axiomatic at this point.
It *should* be axiomatic. I've been disbelieving since 2017. I was dumbfounded that we had just come off (really, we were still in it) lockdowns, mandates, embellishments, and obfuscations, and yet people immediately--the war ended the pandemic, after all--bought Ukraine propaganda like the ghost of Kyiv and the Snake Island audio recording. I personally include "I need ammo, not a ride." That was scripted, I can't be convinced otherwise.
If I'm generous I'll grant that there's so much b.s. in the media cycle that it hampers long-term memory. You're so busy parsing the recent b.s. that you forget about the old b.s. After 2020 and 2021 one has no business taking ANYTHING from the corporate media at face value.
Thank you so much for explaining through personal experience how accommodations can actually be extremely helpful. We hear so much about the villains who game the system to try to get an unfair advantage or just be spoiled brats, like someone who insists on bringing their 'emotional support' pig on an airplane.
I attended university in the early 70's and my university was on the then cutting edge of accommodating the disabled. I got to know several young folks in wheelchairs and a blind man who was otherwise just as able as most of us. (Once or twice he went to the girls' dorm and pretended to be lost.)
Most of the accommodations were pretty minor back then. It was before cell phones, so they lowered the pay phones to about 4 feet high. Mildly annoying to me at 6 foot 2, but essential to someone in a wheelchair. They also made sure the library and all the classrooms were wheelchair accessible. I understand the much less visible issues with shell shock (I refuse to acronymize it). My wife also suffered from it due to childhood trauma, and I think many will understand it much better from your brief explanations of the effects it had on you.
Again, many thanks. Clear thinking is so rare these days.
I believe the stroke left him with significant damage to his emotional regulation and his staff had to beg Schumer for this so he wouldn't have outbursts in public over wearing suits.
When living at home as a young adult I still had to go to church. Fortunately the women who ran the nursery/daycare for toddlers while everyone else was in Sunday School asked me to volunteer helping with the tykes. I am modestly proud to say that I never coddled them. I sat or knelt next to them while they made drawings or played with toys or clay or ate snacks, and I asked questions. I spoke plainly and consciously avoided upspeak, which I consider disrespectful.
I want to be upset with this and on a superficial level agree but I'm at a point where I agree with the anarchists, that anything to de-legitimize the stature of politicians is a net positive. Like the photo of congresspersons hugging the floor of the House on 1/6. Venal sell-outs deserve no dignity. Remember "Trump's not presidential!"? Obama was put-together than and he stepped up Bush's bombing campaigns so I don't put too much stock in appearances. No one really cares about him, that's the worst part. I assume he's being used the same way Biden is. They're already preparing to dump him (the Hunter stuff) should the opportunity for a fresh candidate arise.
I'm totally with you on this one, Holly. Why a grown man who presumably wishes to be considered capable and respectable chooses to appear like a clown is beyond me. What's his message to his constituents? Whom does he imagine he's "sticking it" to? Dressing appropriate to the circumstances does not trigger depressive episodes. I'm in a position to know.
Agreed. It's appalling, and if anything, dressing up is more likely to help his depression. There's a reason why the first thing any competent clinician asks a seriously depressed patient is whether they're eating right, exercising, showering daily, etc. Keeping up a modicum of self-care is a crucial part of managing depression. This includes dressing appropriately.
You did a great job of illustrating your bona fidas with regard to reasonable accommodation, but I had to chuckle because it doesn't matter to the people who think any accommodation is reasonable. For these people, if Fetterman wants to wear a clown wig, a horsetail butt plug and no shoes, that would be just fine. It makes a mockery of people who need real and reasonable accommodation to pretend like anything goes.
The really stupid part of this is that on a Senator's salary, you can buy very comfortable formal wear that looks like a nice suit, but feels like you're wearing sweatpants. There's no reason whatsoever for Fetterman to wear his gym rat outfit instead of getting tailored, comfortable suits.
I didn't even think of that. Wow, it makes it much more appalling. I get wanting to be comfortable -- I am typing this wearing Halloween themed thermal underwear (black, with a white skeleton printed on them!) and a pair of gym shorts on top (so I can have pockets). I dress like this all through the autumn and winter. Putting on jeans and a hoodie to go to therapy IS my version of respectful dressing up, LOL. But if I had a wedding, funeral, court appearance, etc.? I'd dress appropriately. And I do not have a Senator's salary to go shopping with. There simply is no excuse for Fetterman, or for the rest of the Senate putting up with it.
Excellent essay! I was stunned they made the accommodation! What's next? Will members of a police force, or military be allowed to work "out of uniform" in roles that currently require them? Well, no of course not, because... it's only senators that are allowed this accommodation and NO ONE else. Whooooo - that's a lawsuit waiting to happen. I hope the lame decision they made to bend to Fetterman's infantile behavior will come back and bite them in the arse! I agree with you - shame on them!
Excellent article (as usual). I'm teaching a Critical Thinking class to a group of 5 high schoolers in a homeschool co-op, and (with your permission) I would like to share this with them as a great example of the importance of making distinctions, recognizing nuance and being principled in our arguments, rather than resorting to extremes and all-or-nothing, tribalistic arguments, which are pervasive in politics today (e.g., Fetterman is a D; D's are bad; therefore, any request by Fetterman for an accommodation should be denied. Or the flip: Fetterman is a D; D's oppose R's; R's are bad; therefore, Fetterman should be allowed to do anything that makes it easier for him to vote).
I'd be honored!
Good take on this topic.
Maybe we’ll be like the Romans in a few years and people’s pets will be able to be Senators.
Honestly, I’d rather vote for my dog than all the Ds and at least half the Rs at this point.
Something about this episode just doesn’t add up. At a minimum, Fetterman stands accused of lacking the mental capacity to perform his job duties as a United States senator. I won’t venture into that argument one way or another, even though the answer seems obvious. Consequently, if he were indeed mentally competent, he would make every effort to look and act the part of a competent professional. Wouldn’t you? So it makes no sense for Lurch to dress like a vagrant and draw attention to his own incompetence. There is more going on with this story than is being publicly revealed.
Sadly, I think your last sentence is probably true so much of the time, about so much in our lives, that it should be regarded as axiomatic at this point.
It *should* be axiomatic. I've been disbelieving since 2017. I was dumbfounded that we had just come off (really, we were still in it) lockdowns, mandates, embellishments, and obfuscations, and yet people immediately--the war ended the pandemic, after all--bought Ukraine propaganda like the ghost of Kyiv and the Snake Island audio recording. I personally include "I need ammo, not a ride." That was scripted, I can't be convinced otherwise.
If I'm generous I'll grant that there's so much b.s. in the media cycle that it hampers long-term memory. You're so busy parsing the recent b.s. that you forget about the old b.s. After 2020 and 2021 one has no business taking ANYTHING from the corporate media at face value.
smh people pulling all kinds of gimmicks in the name of mental health these days. But supposedly the most noble and kind among us too? smh
Great article! Thank you for sharing your views on this topic. I always find your topics and opinions interesting and compelling!
Thank you so much for explaining through personal experience how accommodations can actually be extremely helpful. We hear so much about the villains who game the system to try to get an unfair advantage or just be spoiled brats, like someone who insists on bringing their 'emotional support' pig on an airplane.
I attended university in the early 70's and my university was on the then cutting edge of accommodating the disabled. I got to know several young folks in wheelchairs and a blind man who was otherwise just as able as most of us. (Once or twice he went to the girls' dorm and pretended to be lost.)
Most of the accommodations were pretty minor back then. It was before cell phones, so they lowered the pay phones to about 4 feet high. Mildly annoying to me at 6 foot 2, but essential to someone in a wheelchair. They also made sure the library and all the classrooms were wheelchair accessible. I understand the much less visible issues with shell shock (I refuse to acronymize it). My wife also suffered from it due to childhood trauma, and I think many will understand it much better from your brief explanations of the effects it had on you.
Again, many thanks. Clear thinking is so rare these days.
Very well written. Brava!
Thanks!! I was thinking of you the other day, wondering how MM was doing.
Excellent! I am restacking and hope many people will give this excellent analysis the widest possible exposure.
Thank you!!
Sure, sex is great, but have you seen casual presidents?
https://x.com/stepfaniex/status/1704320232733777935
I believe the stroke left him with significant damage to his emotional regulation and his staff had to beg Schumer for this so he wouldn't have outbursts in public over wearing suits.
When living at home as a young adult I still had to go to church. Fortunately the women who ran the nursery/daycare for toddlers while everyone else was in Sunday School asked me to volunteer helping with the tykes. I am modestly proud to say that I never coddled them. I sat or knelt next to them while they made drawings or played with toys or clay or ate snacks, and I asked questions. I spoke plainly and consciously avoided upspeak, which I consider disrespectful.
I want to be upset with this and on a superficial level agree but I'm at a point where I agree with the anarchists, that anything to de-legitimize the stature of politicians is a net positive. Like the photo of congresspersons hugging the floor of the House on 1/6. Venal sell-outs deserve no dignity. Remember "Trump's not presidential!"? Obama was put-together than and he stepped up Bush's bombing campaigns so I don't put too much stock in appearances. No one really cares about him, that's the worst part. I assume he's being used the same way Biden is. They're already preparing to dump him (the Hunter stuff) should the opportunity for a fresh candidate arise.