Margaret Trudeau
If any one single act could demonstrate childish wilfulness, selfish disregard for others, contempt for the law, and an abiding belief in one's self-entitlement it must surely be the decision to take the wheel of a vehicle while under the (profound) influence of alcohol. Yes, there are those who may have had a little something to drink and knowing they are not impaired get behind the wheel of their car. These people may or may not know their limits. They may or may not have a realistic understanding of the extent (or lack of) impairment to which they've subjected themselves.
But what about someone who has been caught driving with a blood alcohol level of .107, when the legal limit is set at .08 (blood alcohol)? Surely anyone with an ounce of self, a healthy degree of discipline and responsibility would understand that they are potentially imperilling others, let alone themselves, taking their vehicle on the road.
We've read of people in the public eye, people well known in their geographic areas who have driven under the influence of alcohol, been caught doing it, charged and not bothered to 'defend' themselves, knowing they're guilty of prime stupidity. These are the same people who understand the seriousness of what they've done, and they don't hesitate to apologize for their behaviour.
So here we have Margaret Trudeau-Kemper, age 57, obviously 'old enough' to know better, challenging the charges brought against her. That she was under the influence of alcohol certainly cannot be denied since the blood alcohol level cited above was hers, as certified in court through the testimony of a certified police technician. She was apprehended as she passed a police cruiser on a city parkway driving 100kph in a 80kph zone.
I'd be ashamed of myself. I'd cringe at the spectacle of myself doing such a thing, and I know I've got plenty of company. To be that impaired, to bring oneself to the attention of the police, to then deny the charges one has surely to be the most self-indulgent, irresponsible of beings. Well, no surprise. That's a fairly accurate description of this woman.
Margaret Trudeau, born with the proverbial silver spoon in her charming mouth, had opportunities in life that young women dream of. In 1971, at the age of 22 she married then- Prime Minister of Canada, 52-year-old Pierre Elliot Trudeau. He was our wordly, academic-minded, socially-forward looking, carefree spirit of a man, as head of state. As seemed fitting at the time, he married a flower child. Within the next six years they brought three lovely little boys into the world, and briefly, they were our shining Camelot couple.
On the 6th anniversary of their marriage Margaret Trudeau flew down to Toronto for a Rolling Stones concert; living it up, anxious to shatter the fetters that bound her, and in the process shattered her marriage, which died a slow and painful death.
During which time she was admitted to hospital for a 'nervous breakdown'. During which time she sought to fulfill her potential as a photographer, a writer, an actor, a television host. None of which careers lent lustre to her name, nor proved any potential for success. Her autobiography was published in 1978, titled "Beyond Reason" and served to confirm in readers' estimation that she was an egotistical adolescent.
Margaret Trudeau craved attention, much as a wilful, unstable and selfish child does. Her beauty and status in life guaranteed her attention, not all of which reflected well on her. She made very public her dissatisfaction with her life, the dullness of her status as wife of the prime minister. She wanted to party, her husband did not. Eventually, what he wanted didn't much matter any more, and she went her own way. In the process drawing an eager press with her, never too shy about sharing her life adventures with them.
Enough already. Time to assume the mantle of adult, take responsibility for one's actions, become aware of others' needs besides one's own. Well, she has, in fact, become a spokesperson for a number of charities; one, Watercan Canada, another in support of AvalancheAlerts. As befits a lady of note, who notes that she has become rather a dowdy, matronly sort, and is able, through these sponsorships to alert the media to the fact that she is still around.
Cynical am I not? I'd be far less so if this woman saw her way through to accepting the stupidity of her actions, rather than declaring through her lawyer that her rights have been infringed upon. Her right: that of an irresponsible twit driving with a high blood alcohol level, and not those of the public at large. Give me a break.
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, October 08, 2005
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