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28 June 2005
who are these people?
This is a silly post, but every now and then these sorts of things get under my skin. So I'll ask the question:
Who are the people whose votes via the Discovery Channel and AOL resulted in this list of the "greatest Americans"? I know these types of lists are essentially popularity contests and not meaningful indicators of anything, really, but if this list reflects the general knowledge of American history--and I won't be surprised if it does--then...whew. Here are a few highlights (or doozies, depending on whether you want to be amused or distressed):
Dr. Phil (psychologist, "life strategist," and talk show host) came in 61st; Dr. Jonas Salk (developed the polio vaccine) came in 81st. But hey, Tom Cruise came in 21st, perhaps because he's not just an actor and producer but also a self-professed expert in the sciences, or pseudo-sciences (depending on what view you want to take about psychology and psychiatry).
Rush Limbaugh (talk radio personality) came in 55th; Johnny Carson came in 13th. But Edward R. Murrow didn't make the list of the top 100. Nor did Walter Cronkite. Or even Jack Paar. Or Ed Sullivan. I miss Johnny, too, but...
Bret Favre (quarterback for the Green Bay Packers) came in 31st, beating out Henry Ford, who came in 32nd. No, Henry Ford did not throw any touchdown passes in a Super Bowl. All he did was introduce the assembly line as a means of American automobile production. I'm quite sure Bret Favre is very talented. I sure as hell couldn't throw a football half as far or with anywhere near the accuracy that he does. And from what admittedly little I've seen, he seems like a pretty good-natured guy. A good athletic role model, given what's on the field these days. And yet...he beats Henry Ford?
Even Matt Lauer, who is hosting (or has already hosted) the Discovery Channel countdown, seemed disgusted with the results when he was interviewed by Jon Stewart on a recent episode of The Daily Show. Mr. Lauer was shocked that Michael Jackson made the list, but Thurgood Marshall did not. Well, yeah.
What about Watson and Crick--you know, the two who made a few breakthroughs regarding DNA? Or any other leaders in the fields of science and medicine? Carl Sagan (and Jonas Salk) appear to be the only ones who made the cut.
Any artists on the list? Um, no. Musicians (aside from Madonna and Frank Sinatra)? No.
Jurists? Nada. Perhaps John Edwards is supposed to represent the lawyers.
Philosophers? Nope. If I mentioned John Rawls I suspect most of the participants would look at me curiously, and explain that it was Lou Rawls who sang "Lady Love." Silly me, suffocating under a veil of ignorance.
Architects? What? Don't be silly.
Writers? Wait, Maya Angelou made the list. Maybe Carl Sagan counts here, too. But no sign of Faulkner or Twain. Or Saul Bellow. Or even, to follow the Oprah route, Toni Morrison. (Henry Miller's not going to get enough votes, no how, no way, so I'm noting a few names that came immediately to mind.)
John Edwards (yes, the politician/2004 vice-presidential candidate) came in 28th. Why is he even on the list? Really? I don't get it.
Perhaps the Americans who helped compile this list are the same Americans who believe that Bill O'Reilly is a journalist. Or perhaps the definition of journalist has changed dramatically in the last few decades. Or perhaps very few people distinguish any more between commentators and journalists. Or...
maybe it's time to get back to the law of wills and trusts before my head explodes. Perhaps I've vented enough.
The more people I meet, and the more of these polls I read...the more I like my dog.