Wednesday, October 20, 2010

I think you meant a thorn branch

Human foibles are universal but there is a particular kind of sanctimonious arrogance that only the truly devout rise to. Virginia Thomas's bizarre phone message to Anita Hill the other day offered a fine specimen of the genre:

Good morning, Anita Hill, it's Ginny Thomas. I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometime and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband. So give it some thought and certainly pray about this and come to understand why you did what you did. OK, have a good day.

That was pretty good, but what elevated it to the ranks of the great was Ms. Thomas's subsequent explanation: that she was "extending an olive branch" to Ms. Hill, and "that offer still stands." A small prize will be awarded to anyone who can detect an "offer" anywhere in this message, much less an olive branch.