printIt’s been my perception for some time that American fathers, generally, are sexually inappropriate with their daughters. The fault lies—again, generally—not so much with the hapless dad, but with these young, assertive females, taught by pedagogues and reinforced by parents and the culture that, “I’m like a sexual being” (uttered in Meghan-McCain like tart tones). The onus is on those around the girl to let her act out her sexuality 100% of the time—or so the consensus seems.
Repulsive. Improper. Unnatural.
However, Scott Brown, the man from Massachusetts who filled Kennedy’s sacred seat in the U.S. Senate, went beyond the call of an American dad’s duty in advertising his girls’ availability during his acceptance speech.
This picture of Brown with his girls, jutting boobs and all, certainly reinforces my view of impropriety (yuckiness).
More obscene than anything discussed here, however, is Ayla Brown’s singing. No, she’s not talented. Strained, bedroom groaning is not good singing. On the other hand, I guess it has its places …
Update (Feb. 4): The comment about my hailing from a once-Christian conservative country (South Africa, RIP), and thus not acclimatizing well to the hyper-sexual American family is completely off. It demonstrate to me that even conservative-minded readers are incorrigible cultural libertines.
It used to be the most basic of things that young women were modest about their sexuality around their fathers. The father-daughter relationship is a primary one for a girl. From it will develop all her future relationships with men. This is precisely why to me the specter of fems letting it all hang out around their fathers is disturbing. And why a father should know better (and Brown has carefully crafted his public image, including the pics he has released to media), and ought to be able to tell his proudly presenting girl, “Here’s my Hawaiian shirt, sweetheart, cover up.”
When you talk about restoring the middle-class family and its values, this is it. When you talk about returning America to a healthier time when parents where parents and not potential admirers or friends or sexual coaches, this is it.
For touting a slut like Kim Karsashian as a role model for “young girls” (read: budding sluts) because she doesn’t drink (but films herself adoringly copulating), Sean Hannity is a libertine. Am I from Another Culture to suggest this? Cultural conservatism used to be apple-pie American. Now my so-called culturally conservative readers find me quaint.
I despair. It’s beyond repair.
Incidentally, where on the continuum of tender (or, dare I say twisted) soft porn, suggestive, father-daughter tease are our wholesome Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus situated?
I don’t know, Ilana. That looks like they would be a fun family to spend a weekend at the seashore with, don’t you think? Err, on second thought, maybe not.
Seriously, I don’t know enough about them to make any judgment (I suppose I don’t pay enough attention to what I consider trivial). I won’t hold an inappropriate sense of humor against him though.
Scott Brown is a perfect example of “He’s not much but at least he aint a Democrat”
I agree on all counts. I felt awkward about the Brown offer of his girls. And yes, being at a university, I see that sort of behavior all over. As a man who appreciates women, I prefer to do the appreciating in a dignified and honest way, leaving the sexuality aside rather than have it thrust into my face. Certainly sexuality can be an important part of who we are, but it looses its power when it becomes common. The mind is a wonderous thing – let it develop its powers by working its magic on all fronts – from physics to imagining the possibilities of the person that attracts our gaze.
Father Brown requites his girls’ exhibitionism for a shared ambition – celebrity. Lost on father, daughters, and mother – your’re still a nobody even if everybody knows it.
Senator? Pimp? Is there a difference?
The difference is that one pays for a pimp’s “services” voluntarily.
Brown’s public offer of his daughters seemed more of a father teasing his daughter in a public forum, a sign of a close knit family. I didnt find it creepy.
And for the picture? How it found its way into public view is more of an issue than the picture itself.
Family weekend at the beach. So what?
I hope my daughters will still want to spend time with me when they are of that age.
Perhaps this is more of a cultural thing, Ilana. I lived in Pretoria for several years (I am American), I saw the very conservative white culture in that city.
You’re right Ilana. It is beyond repair.
It demonstrate to me that even conservative-minded readers are incorrigible cultural libertines.
Indeed. Even people who identify as conservative tend to want all the fat and none of the calories in this modern age, just as liberals do. Self-sacrifice for the greater good is for the most part a foreign concept; they’ll stand on principle only until it comes to something that they really like. It turns out that these faux-conservatives find serial fornication very agreeable, especially during their college years, and aren’t prepared to give it up. Alas.
Before I read your update, I thought the Cyrus-two was in fact a run-of-the-mill pair of models. It’s hard to imagine there is a father-daughter relationship in there that I would recognize. No surprises here either, Sean Hannity is a big Billy Ray fan:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/18/billy-ray-cyrus-others-to_n_144610.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,515077,00.html
Less than two hundred years ago, it was a father’s duty to be involved in selecting his daughter’s husband. No father wanted his daughter to marry below her station but above it, if possible. I did not hear Brown’s speech and thirty seconds of his daughter’s singing sent me back to Nightwish in a heartbeat; but if he was trying to interest a higher class of suitor, that could be a good thing, if he were throwing them to the wolves that’s different.
Mike, in his comment about Conservative Pretoria, was just trying to be fair in pointing out the differences. In my case, I’ve always considered you to be a model Victorian. From your preference to black dress and strict rules of penmanship, dictation, and grammar; as well as a standard of moral principal, you represent the standards of a Conservative Libertarian.
In contrast, the Presidential runner-up’s daughter flaunts her chest as her literature and moral qualification. John Locke was a conservative, libertarian Puritan. It’s not an insult to be included in his class.
[Yes, but does this amount to a different culture, or the culture under which we once lived and thrived? I didn’t think that the old SA and USA were different planets.–IM]
I think it’s a culture that has come and largely gone. My upbringing and my parent’s values are well in line with yours, Ilana. (I don’t feel comfortable calling you Ilana, for instance. Should I?) However, I’m from a large Catholic family and my parents are of an older generation. It wasn’t until I entered college when I realized just how conservative my upbringing was. For instance, I never, ever used curse words at home and certainly didn’t talk to parents like I would to my friends. It’s a shame that the proper parent-child relationship is looked upon as old fashioned, and not as a unique relationship that should be upheld and celebrated.
[Friends of mine, homeschooling Christians, will not allow their young boys to call me anything but Mrs. Mercer. It depends on the age of the person and the familiarity. I certainly cringe every time a waitress says to me and mine, “What can I get you guys today.” But on BAB, among my pepes, I’m “ilana.”]