≡ Menu

Venting

Here’s a letter to the New York Times:

You think it’s heartening and good that, as you report, “Michelle Obama is on the road, campaigning and telling Americans to eat their vegetables” (“Helpings of Energy and Cheer for the Trail,” Feb. 11).

I think it’s creepy and obnoxious.

Who the hell is she to tell – or even to advise – people outside of her own family what to eat?  Free and responsible men and women do not take seriously those who use their fame as a platform to issue advice about matters on which they know nothing – and politicians’ spouses (no less than politicians themselves, Hollywood entertainers, sports stars, and the like) have zero knowledge about each individual American’s tastes and preferences over a wide range of lifestyle options.  I’m downright repulsed by the media’s habit of mistaking a person’s celebrity for expertise, popularity for acumen, and visibility for enlightenment.

Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Professor of Economics
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA  22030

Comments