A Graceless Stunt

Professional umbrage taker Molena Charen goes into splutter overdrive upon learning of the vile antics of one Leon Fleisher, octenegarian and terror lover:

This is the most graceless stunt I've seen a while. Leon Fleisher, the conductor and pianist, received a Kennedy Center honor. As part of the weekend of festivities associated with this prestigious award, Fleisher was invited to attend a White House reception along with the four other honorees (Brian Wilson, Steve Martin, Diana Ross, and Martin Scorcese).

What crime against civility did Mr. Fleisher commit? Send the children away, and then read on:

In the end, I decided to attend wearing a peace symbol around my neck and a purple ribbon on my lapel, at once showing support for our young men and women in the armed services and calling for their earliest return home. My family did the same, as did a number of fellow attendees who, over the weekend's various events, asked me for ribbons of their own.

Molena sneers that the former lefty should have rejected the honor rather than wearing the offending symbols to a White House reception. Why? Because although "every American is fully within his rights to express his views on anything in the world," "to do it in this way, at this moment, is quite a shameful performance."

I say the shame is that the Kennedy Center required Fleisher to kiss the ring of the unelected dolt in order to recieve recognition for his accomplishments. Under those unfortunate circumstances, Fleisher hit just the right note.