In Defense of Hobbits

A Family of Hobbits by Avi Katz

A Wall Street Journal editorial entitled, "The GOP's Reality Test," makes a disparaging reference to the tea party faction of the Republican Party as "hobbits." The editorial accuses the tea partiers of living in another reality where they believe they can defeat the Democrats by refusing to raise the debt ceiling, "and the tea-party Hobbits could return to Middle Earth having defeated Mordor."  Sen. John McCain (R - Az) picked up on the hobbit reference and branded the tea party opponents to raising the debt ceiling as "tea party hobbits" (here).

It is unnecessary, unjust, unkind, and just plain unfair to drag hobbits into what's going on in D.C. these days.  They are, after all, an unassuming, down to earth, and circumspect race given to simple harmless pleasures.  They know when to work, and they know when to eat.  Even wizards take delight in the endless complexities masked by their simple natures.  Indeed, it was two members of this admirable race, Frodo Baggins & Sam Gamgee, who completed the impossible quest to destroy the Ring of Power (with some help from Gollum) and save Middle Earth.

So, go ahead and have your squabbles and spats up there on the Hill, but for the sake of justice and kindness leave off with dragging the good name of a good and simple folk through the mud.  Is nothing sacred?