When I was a boy, long before I became interested in politics, First Lady Betty Ford left a strong personal impression on me. Her frankness, honesty, bravery and fortitude were traits that I couldn’t explain as a young boy — but they were attributes that sprung from the TV news every time she was interviewed.
No, she wouldn’t have been my first choice as a candidate based on her politics. But there is no doubt she created in my (and my fellow Gen X’ers) the standard by which future First Ladies would be held. She was a strong independent woman who nonetheless made you feel like everything was going to be okay even if the whole country was going to hell in a handbasket.
More importantly, there is probably no other human being alive that had as much positive impact on how the world views breast cancer and drug/alcohol addiction as Betty Ford. She put a human face and experience to two major illnesses that at the time where hushed into the background. One might have whispered “cancer” in the 1970s, but until Betty Ford’s courage — no one even uttered breast cancer or prescription drug addiction among “civilized crowds”.
Before there was Nancy Reagan — there was Betty Ford; defining what it meant to be the First Lady of the United States for a generation of kids like myself. She was a true inspirtation to men and women alike and her impact on the world will probably never be truly understood. But that’s okay. Those who call themselves breast cancer survivors and those who have come back from the brink of drug or alcohol addiction know how important her legacy is.
God bless you Betty Ford. The world weeps at your passing.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
Breast cancer – yes, props to Betty.
Drug and alcohol addiction – I dunno. They aren’t real diseases. I don’t know much about what the Betty Ford Center teaches people exactly, but it seems to me they have been an instrument in our society’s medical-izing of bad behavior. If a celebrity or a politician is caught doing something bad, they claim some sort of addictive “disease” and check into rehab. The phrase “check into rehab” was originally “check into Betty Ford”. The truth about addictive “disease”, is to be found here: http://www.rational.org
From the Center’s website:
There you go. As I suspected, (1) medical-izing the addict’s bad behavior choices, especially if he or she is part of the elite that can afford “expansive” campuses, Rancho Mirage, etc.; and further (2) implying that the addict’s bad behavior choices are a family problem – possibly the family’s fault. Two false concepts.
Sorry if I’m being a wet blanket; I just think it’s important not to give honor to false concepts of addiction. As stated earlier, I recognize Betty’s other good qualities and give her props on the breast cancer thing.
While I don’t personally believe that substance abuse is a disease, either (especially having addicts in my own family), I totally respect Mrs. Ford having the courage to admit hers, seek help to overcome it, and then work so hard to help others do it too. I prefer to focus on her guts and accomplishments. 🙂
Good points.
Bart: When I grow up, I want to be in The Betty Ford Center.
Marge: Better start saving now, it’s very expensive.
RIP Betty Ford
Sorry, I typed #4 in haste and I must withdraw it. It’s true that Betty Ford made it a lot more acceptable to talk about addiction problems, which would seem to be good, “courageous”, etc. But again, she did so in a context of medical-izing the bad personal choices of addicts, and I just can’t condone that.
Addiction is a disease