Elephant shoes!

When I was in grade school, there was a time when we would look at someone across the room and mouth "elephant shoes". From afar, it looks like you're saying "I love you". Why we did this I can't remember.

It sounds random to open with that story, but it's not completely random. I straddle the political divide with family and friends, and so see Facebook updates of various political nature regularly, especially as election time nears. I don't care what lever you pull come November, but I do care if you're walking around thinking stuff that isn't true.

One bit of insanity that bothered me was a video making its rounds that supposedly shows the first lady cursing the flag. That video, which I don't want to link to because they don't deserve the traffic, is part of a show known for not just bending the truth, but breaking it. The "professional lip reader" (an intern at the program) according to transcripts from the original taping, is himself unsure of what is being said, and can only give a half hearted I suppose so when asked if the first lady is saying disparaging remarks about the flag. His initial thoughts? That she was commenting about how the flag is being folded. (I've folded the flag as part of formal ceremony- it is a very precise, beautiful thing done right, and such a remark would be normal). Even after prompting and after his suppose so answer, he returns to his idea that she's said something about the folding the flag.

Why did this bother me? Because as a veteran I have been impressed with everything she's done towards helping active duty and their families. She doesn't just say she supports America, she's putting considerable effort into and a huge spotlight on military issues.

Some people say they support military, but their actions are limited to photo ops, and when they vote they vote against the physical, emotional, and fiscal health of our military. Know who also does an awesome job? Gary Sinise- of the Lt Dan Band fame. He gives to troops and through actions shows he is for those in uniform (I give him as an example because he votes on the other side of the aisle from the first lady).

Now in this round of viral posting, people are posting this video with the supposed quote in the title, which would be like posting a video of yourself saying "elephant shoes" with the subject title, "I love you"- the idea is planted so your mind will see only what is already first in mind. Her saying anything disparaging of the sort implied would be directly counter to her actions to date. A smart person would see this video and question it right away, not repost with snarky comments on Facebook. Stuff like this video deserves to be ignored into obscurity.

Save your ire for real issues folks. There are plenty of honest to goodness differences of opinion we could talk about. Falling for manufactured smear campaigns just makes you look bad.

PS

Elephant shoes.