I’ve been a fan of Andrew Klavan since the first time I saw this video:
I’m a huge fan of truth but truth delivered via sarcasm fills me with indescribable joy. Klavan is a fountain of sarcastic truth. But when he’s not being sarcastic, he’s still a joy to read.
Articles like this remind me that America still has a few national treasures.
“This week, the illogic of the feminist outlook was dramatized in the realm of popular music. Pop star Taylor Swift, soon to turn 30, was asked by a German interviewer if she would like to be a mother someday. Swift said, “I really do not think men are asked that question when they turn 30, so I’m not going to answer that now.”
A counter example to Taylor Swift likewise appeared in the pop music world. An excerpt from the show “America’s Got Talent” went viral on social media. It showed the performance of a young man named Kodi Lee, who is blind and severely autistic. His mother Tina brought him onstage and explained to the judges that she had seen his eyes light up when he first heard music and so she had nurtured his ability.
Kodi’s piano and voice rendition of Leon Russell’s “A Song for You” was spectacular and sparked a standing ovation. “That’s all for you,” Tina whispered in his ear.
Yeah, the kid got the applause. But watching Tina, all I could think was: There ought to be a Nobel Prize for motherhood. In fact, that’s the only Nobel Prize there ought to be. Watching that video was like watching the opposite of an abortion: a heroic battle against the forces of death, not in the name of mere life but in the name of human fruition. The hero of that epic was Tina — and as such, she was the representative of every mother who surrenders body and soul not just to create biological life, but to make life in full: real, loved, nurtured life.
I enjoy Taylor Swift’s music, but let’s be honest: If there were no more Taylor Swifts forever, who really would give a damn? But to lose even one Tina? That would be a vast moral tragedy.
This is the video Klavan referenced…
2 Responses
As a member of a church that has had many mentally handicapped children and their families attend, and as one who has worked with and assisted mentally disabled people, it’s great to see some recognition given to their caretakers!
On an unrelated note, can we expect a podcast this week? They’re always something I find myself looking forward to 🙂
As the mother of a 28 year old autistic young man, thank you for the praise. It has been a complicated life but, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. My son still lives with me and is struggling to find a permanent job. So, our complications are not over. But, I love him to the moon and back.