Cascadia Journal

This past Sunday, US Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) suggested that the executives fron AIG, the insurance company that has received $160 billion in bailout funds from the US Government, either resign or commit suicide.  In his comments to WMT radio in Iowa, “The first thing that would make me feel a little bit better towards them is if they would follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say I’m sorry and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide.”

I am not sure just what the most offensive thing is about this is.  Does he think that anyone who has done anything wrong should kill themselves?  Would it be easier for him if anyone who has opinions he doesn’t agree with kill themselves? Does he really think that a few reports of suicide among Japanese business people means that this is the usual solution for CEO’s who make improper decisions in that country? Or is it something else?

“And in the case of the Japanese,” he added, “they usually commit suicide before they make any apology.”  Really?  Does he really believe that?

Of course, in subsequent days, Grassley has told us that he really didn’t mean what he said. Yeah, I’ll bet he didn’t mean that.  I hope he can be more educated in the cultures of other people before he speaks again.  Or, if he were really going to be a leader, he could apologize to the Japanese people as well as to the American people.  Or, he could be a leader who follows his own advice and commit suicide himself.

It would be interesting to note here that Grassley is pro-life on abortion issues.  He states that believes that human life is sacred from the time of conception.  I think that I can also presume that, since Senator Grassley is such a proponent of encouraging medical options for end-of-life care, that he would be appalled at the thought of allowing physician-assisted suicide anytime soon.  So, just the thought that he thinks that anyone should be allowed to die prematurely, whether they be Americans or Japanese, seems pretty preposterous.

I truly think that we can solve our nation’s by killing one another, then we have something to learn about ourselves.  I can forgive Senator Grassley’s off-the-cuff remark this time.  People do say things they regret.  But I also believe that the kind of anger that would cause a person to say something like that is not compatible with a person looking for a reasoned solution to the nation’s problems.

Share via email