the Bitch in the house

The Miami Herald reported “L’AQUILA, Italy — Despite a request for a wives’ boycott of this week’s G-8 summit to protest the personal behavior of the Italian prime minister, first lady Michelle Obama and other spouses came as planned — and found themselves touring with a former topless model-turned-government minister filling in as the official hostess for the prime minister’s soon-to-be ex-wife.”

There is no doubt that the manner in which the current prime minister of Italy behaves toward his current wife is fairly disgusting, it is also shockingly common. An uncommon and very negative response would be for the leading wives to get involved. Afterall, it does not appear that the Italian prime minister was new to this sort of behavior, despite his current wife’s feeling victimized by the lewd conduct he demonstrates toward herself and his country. But what has M.Obama to do with it? I’m thinking, not much good could possibly come from her (or any other leader’s wives) getting involved.

Consider the implications of the leading ladies’ involvement in the scandal; a disruption of geo-political politics in a circumstance that has heretofore been unresolved in the country of origin, taking sides in a publicly bitter divorce wherein the players are not closely associated, and finally entering a public judgment on one side or another that could prevent furthering the cause of goodwill.

Though the scandal does drive right at the heart of women’s relationship to power in the world and exposes the precarious standing of women in the shadows of men in leadership throughout the world, the circumstances of this relationship seem tenable at best for defending any participant’s honor. M.Obama has consistently targeted her efforts toward causes that seemingly impact others in a positive manner. Thus far, she has not involved herself in projects that seek to support an individual over the betterment of the larger community. To invest her time and energies into this situation would be a foolhardy waste. And as careful as M.Obama has been in targeting her publicity for the good, I figure she is just not that interested in making a public statement by her absence at such an important event.

Lest we forget, M.Obama got favorable reviews when she hung out with the French president’s new supermodel wife.