Thursday, November 13, 2008

Purity turnips

The people have spoken, and they insist that the Obama family's puppy be a rescue dog. Obama himself seems to agree, jokingly making reference to himself being a "mutt."

While this sounds impossible to criticize, a groundbreaking presidency all the way down to concern for fluffy animals, there's a good case for the First Dog being a purebred. (No, not just so it could be a dachshund.) For whatever reason, we humans have an urge to create and promote purity. It's up to us whether we channel this urge into eugenics or organics, to sexual mores or turnips, but it seems unlikely we as a species will kick the purity fixation anytime soon. Better we focus on chiens de race than on some human equivalent. Better we focus on the color of the First Dog than that of the First Family.

2 comments:

PG said...

The argument for a purebred seem to be that they are more reliable in not causing allergic reactions in Obama's daughters, who apparently haven't played in enough manure and are somewhat allergic to animals. So long as they don't get some moronic purse-sized rat-dog, I am indifferent.

Phoebe Maltz Bovy said...

I know. These are seriously the most-publicized allergies in the history of allergies.

I seriously doubt we're in store for a First Chihuahua.