Tim Egan, who for my money is the best columnist writing in the New York Times, has once again insulted and ridiculed the state of Arizona. OK, he's right. The right-wing crackpots in Phoenix, who seem to have mounted a kind of coup d'lunatique, are in full moon-bay, embarrassing those of us in the sane southern part of the state, Tucson -- which we have taken to calling Baja Arizona to distinguish it from Phoenix, which we regard as Orange County, Calif., circa 1964, but without the ocean.
Here's a link to Egan's terrific column. The objection here is to the lede in the column:
"We interrupt reality to bring you Arizona, once known as the Grand Canyon state. So glorious, this home to sublime cacti and ugly javelina ..."
Two issues here right off the bat, Egan. One, and I don't care what some prissy copy-desk scold in a high-button collar says, the plural of cactus is cactuses. I ask you: Is the plural of circus "circi?" Case closed.
But more important, this insult to javelinas being ugly is unacceptable to those of us who know javelinas. (And a herd of them usually saunters in the front of our property every morning, snorting and grubbing).
Well, ok, they are pretty ugly, and they do stink. (The little javelina babies are so cute, though)
But really, Egan? In a state where the most famous elected official is the phony tough-guy Phoenix Sheriff Joe Arpaio, you're calling the javelinas ugly?
On behalf of javelinas, I demand an apology. The gnarliest javelina is better looking than Sheriff Joe.
Smells better, too.
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