Sully or Suley?

Is ‘Octomom’ America’s Future?

If you ask me, Peggy Noonan has really pin-pointed something important in this editorial.  It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, given the downturn in the economy and America’s sad lurch towards socialism.  Noonan compares and contrasts two people who’ve been in the media lately: Chesley B. Sullenberger III–“Sully” and Nadya Suleman.  [Noonan calls her “Suley” but she’s also known as “The Octomom.”  It almost sounds like a comic book villain, doesn’t it?  Rightly so, in my opinion.] 

Sully represents something distinctly American to us–a modest man who views saving the lives of his passengers as just part of his job.  Sully didn’t seek the spotlight and when its glare came his way, he was quick to credit his co-workers for what happened that day on the Hudson River.  Steady, responsible, humble and brave–Sully.  Noonan expresses gratitude that America is still making people like him. 

And then, there’s Nadya Suleman–The Octomom.  A glorified welfare queen who has created 14 father-less children, she’s a leech on society who apparently has no compunction about living off the largesse of the taxpayers on a fairly grand scale.  It would be bad enough if she had a couple of kids with no dad in the picture and ended up on social services because she couldn’t make it on her own.  But this was all of her own selfish design.  In-vitro fertilization takes more effort than your average food stamp mama is willing to undertake and/or can afford.  Now the Octomom is out whoring herself for every media outlet that will roll tape.  Selfish, self-aggrandizing, irresponsible and quite possibly mentally ill–Suley.

The concept that Noonan has clarified for me turns out to be more of a question.  In this new era of hope for government handouts and the change to socialism, does America consist more of “Sully’s” or “Suley’s?”  Do more of us still believe in pulling the wagon or does a majority just want a ride?  For our own sake, I hope that strength of character and self-reliance still matter.