I'm not sure which is worse. The lengths to which people will go to become "reality" stars or the Secret Service considering criminal action against such people because they've (the Secret Service) been duped!I can understand criminal action against the poor misguided folks in Boulder who floated a trial balloon a few weeks back. The balloon along with their plans quickly deflated after charges were brought for all kinds on improprieties regarding the closing of air space and that kind of thing. At least it had some merit.
But a couple of party crashers at a state dinner in D.C.? If anyone should be charged with a criminal act it should be the multitude of staffers who didn't do their job! You'll note many of the "celebrity" ilk were more than happy to pose for pictures. Isn't that a little hokey for a state dinner? I don't know; I've never been to one but I do think I would pass on cozying up to Katie Couric for a photo op. And Joe Biden and Rahm Emanuel. You have to love it. They didn't have a clue as to who these people were but no doubt figured they were big time contributors to all things Democrat!
You suggest the President could have been in danger? Especially when the name of the gentleman in question was Tareq Salahi? What kind of name is that? Not a good old American moniker like Brian or Katie or those belonging other invitees! Has that ever been mentioned in a story or is it politically incorrect to do so? I'm not suggesting we should profile people attending the events, but really!
Beyond that, let's look at the 'reality' part! Have you even noticed they are either celebrities like the Osborns or very attractive people who want to enter a world that is anything but real?
If you want reality, come to my house. Get a look at me when I roll out of bed and down my coffee. Get a look at me as I go about my daily chores outfitted in Wranglers and a sloppy sweater trying to minimize the effects of age and diet. That's reality and it ain't pretty! You might notice on my Facebook page there are far more pictures of my recently departed dog then of me. He had the looks in the family!
Don't try to convince me the "Real Houswives of New Jersey" of Orange County or Washington D.C. bear any semblance to the reality most of us know.
Had we tried to crash the state dinner we may have gotten past some of the checkpoints because others weren't doing their job but we'd have definitely been held up on the "beautiful people" scale. Unless of course we had Bacchus with us.
You have to wonder where they were seated? Were there place cards for them? I'd think not! What did the others who sat at their table think? "And what do you do for a living Tareq?
Let's remember one important thing buried in this nonsense. This country is a country of laws, not men. Had the unthinkable occurred, we would have survived. We might not be crazy about Biden as President, but we'd have survived.
Nothing did happen, however, other than showcasing how much blurring there really is between politics and entertainment. From the Vice President and the Chief of Staff on down to the lowliest social secretary, not to mention the Secret Service, they were had.
I got a good laugh out of it. Didn't you? Can we still laugh as a nation? Or does everything have to be criminalized?
10 comments:
Yes, I did. I was a little alarmed at how easy it appears to be to get to the president.
Someone definitely fell down on their job.
Furthermore, I hate reality shows. They are so stupid. They're nothing like reality. They tell me they're very cheap to produce and that's why they proliferate.
I agree with you that the lengths people will go to in order to be on a reality show are getting ridiculous.
I agree with you that the secret service is entirely to blame for this and I hope their feet are held to the fire.
I agree with you that this country will go on even if the unthinkable happens.
I do not agree with you on the innocence of the actions. They display disrepect for the office of the President and an unamusing indication of adolescent thinking. Ha! Ha! Look what we did. I don't find it funny in a time when I have to take off my shoes to board a plane, two year olds are denied boarding because their name matches someone on a "no-fly" list and we have ample reason to believe that terrorists haven't given up yet. At the very least, they trespassed. I hope they get the book thrown at them for their stupid trick.
People often criticize the term "reality television" for being anything but. However, it was just a name that they came up with to describe the genre of television shows that featured no scripts, storylines, or actors. They weren't exactly documentaries, either. For lack of a better term, "reality show" stuck.
Do they reflect "reality"? No. But they are cheap to make. The producers and editors have to find the storylines from the 24 / 7 footage and produce an entertaining show. Frankly, there have been too many of them that I'm sick of them now.
I agree that crashing a party shouldn't be a criminal offense if nothing bad happened other than embarrassment that people weren't doing their jobs to screen invited guests. As Obama says, its a "teachable moment."
I guess they will be charged with traspassing... it is kind of like if you and Hub had a invitation only party and you notice there is a couple there that you don't know. You ask Hub,no, he thought you knew them... so what do you do? Throw the bums out? Ask them how they knew you? Or call the police and have them charged with trespassing?
Oh, the other thing... I was wondering when I saw the pictures.... do they have a photographer who goes around and takes the pictures of everyone? Or was this their photographer? And if he/she was theirs, how did he/she get in? Did the photographer have a invitation, and was in on this charade? If it was the White House photographer, then how did the couple get the pictures so soon?
Jangeller, I have to agree with your last point about adolescent thinking and behavior and I understand your frustration with the TSA. I share it and don't fly willingly!
What their behavior did do is reinforce the TSA's mission ufortunately. On the other hand, I don't think their stunt deserves criminal status when it's others that failed.
Also I find it curious that they were in cahoots with BRAVO which is an NBC affiliate. Who supports all things Obama more than NBC and it's affiliates?
Word Tosser, I'd ask how they knew us then ask them to leave. If they refused I'd then call the authorities.
In order for trespassing to be criminal, you would have to have told the people that they couln't come in, then enter anyway. Strolling by a door person without being asked for an invitation is not a crime and never will be, unless after entering, you cause trouble, at which point you most likely would be charged with disturbing the peace. Get real, people. Take a civics class. If you don't know the law, find out first.
Trespassing is not criminal unless you have first been ordered off the property, then ignored the order.
Lighten up people, this was funny. As for reality shows, they are staged. The dialog may be spontaneous, the "situation" is not. The real housewife group are under contract and are paid. Remember what P.T. Barnum said.
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