Much Ado About Nothing

Yet again someone has decided that the status quo just isn't for them, and yet again the status quo is fighting back. Unfortunately this particular battle isn't one worth fighting for on either front.

An Indiana high school student has decided that she wants to wear a pants suit to her prom and her school doesn't want to allow it. Along comes the ACLU, self proclaimed supreme defender of rights from, dare we say, the sublime to the ridiculous, vowing to fight for her right to wear the clothes of her choosing, and what have we?

Much ado about nothing, if Shakespeare will allow my use of the title of one of his great comedies.

At the risk of drawing the ire of all those knowing human rights defenders, I will say that I lean on the side of the status quo. Why do so many people, particularly, it seems, young obnoxious ones, feel that they have the right to ignore common mores simply to satisfy their own ends? We're not talking about any true hardship here: why not wear a dress if that's the accepted standard? What are you proving otherwise? Simply that you can be a bully if you want to, that's all.

But having said that, the school would likely quash the situation merely by letting her wear the pants suit. The surest way to quell resistance is often to say, okay, do it your way. When they see that it merits no attention they often have no option save to let the issue die of its own lack of significance.

There should be standards of decent clothing, to be sure, in order that propriety be observed. There should be a decent sense of respect, too, for the legitimate authorities, as they should have their reasonable concerns observed as well. Still, an overwrought desire to have one's way either way becomes childish and tiresome very quickly. Better we spend our time on the truly meaningful problems of the day than on whether so and so has pants or a skirt on.

And better so and so learn that the world doesn't revolve around her either. Get a grip, young lady, and perhaps a life too.