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Murmuring
Margraves of
Conservatism
The Democratic don of dialectical
discourse tips his
hat to the Richmond Times-Dispatch for its
characterization of Del. Steve Landes.
Today’s
language lesson comes from the editorial page of the
Richmond Times Dispatch, that august
protector of liberty and defender of freedom located
along the falls of that lovely river that is the
historic -- some say "mighty," some say
"high
and mighty" -- James.
Let
us consider "margrave" and "padishah."
Seh
whut?
You’re
right. This is
not your average tobacco patch chit-chat, not your
average ball field name-calling.
But first, a little context.
So
Katie Webb, a smart, classy, savvy, hard-working,
chick lobbyist with the Virginia
Hospital
and Healthcare Association had the good sense to say
‘no’ to a handful of Republican members of the
House of Delegates who hit her up for campaign
contributions. Not
only that, but she had — let’s call them
‘nerves’ — the size of cocoanuts and told them
why in writing — of course it was their
rock-headed voting records.
Up
jumps Del. Steve Landes, R-Augusta, one of the
poobahs of the Republican House Caucus.
He fires off a letter to the attorney
general, wanting to know if Katie has committed
‘bribery.’
(Look,
I don’t have time or space to even wonder what
kind of crimped thinking would lead to a question
like that. Just
let that part go. He
did it.)
Well,
Jerry Kilgore ducked.
And well he should have.
He sent word back this week that anyone with
a problem in that department should take it up with
their local commonwealth attorney, and otherwise
leave him alone. (Hey,
he’s taking enough legitimate beatings.)
So,
finally, the Times Dispatch weighs in—late but
beautiful. Said
the TD in a
June 30, 2004
editorial: “Ms.
Webb declined to pony up.
For that, Landes—fancying himself Margrave
Superior and Lord High Padishah of
Augusta
—threw a royal fit.”
Margrave?
Padishah?
Well,
as it turns out…
‘Margrave’
is an old German title that originated in the counts
established by Charlemagne and his successors to
guard the frontier districts of the empire and for
hundreds of years the title was always associated
with that sort of function.
Basically, margraves retained, within their
own jurisdictions, the authority of dukes in the
feudal arm of the empire.
--
July 12, 2004
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