President Nero?

We are all familiar with the story of how Emperor Nero "fiddled while Rome burned" during the great fire that consumed more than 70% of the capital city of the Empire in 64 AD.

Everyone assumes it must be true. The facts however don't support it. The first historical record of the existence of any bowed instruments similar to a modern "fiddle" were from the Byzantine Empire in the 10th century - a thousand years after Nero. And the first modern violins emerged in Europe nearly 500 years after that. Further, records from that fire indicate that significant and prompt action was taken by Nero and his subordinates to provide relief to those injured and displaced by the great fire. In other words, you can be told a story and believe it, and it still can be utter bullshit.

Fast forward.

We are now being told that it is abominable that a President seek something to clear his head when the world is burning. A round of golf, we are told, is an unacceptable way for the Commander-in-Chief to blow off some steam after dealing with a crisis. Why? Because "it looks like he's fiddling while Rome burns".

The first time I remember anyone being critical of "how it looked" for a President to seek relaxation on the golf course during a crisis was in Michael Moore's movie "Fahrenheit 911", when George W. Bush is caught on the golf course, and admonishes all nations to take on terrorism, and then says, "Now watch this drive." The criticism of President Bush caused him to swear off golf the rest of his time in office. However, he still did manage more days on vacation than any President in history.

http://youtu.be/pJvRUL81ZU8

Prior to that, I don't recall the President's need to escape into a mindless activity for a bit to clear his head ever being called into question.

For instance, this picture of President Reagan was taken on October 23, 1983, by an AP photographer during the President's vacation at Augusta National Golf Resort in Georgia, the day after Reagan was told of the plan to invade Grenada, and less than an hour after he was briefed on the bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon that killed 241 US Marines. The New York Times nonchalantly reported, "Mr. Reagan, on vacation, and others in the Administration were ”shocked and grieved” at the deaths, a spokesman said."

Why was there no hair on fire outrage in 1983? Wouldn't a military invasion and the terrorist killing of 241 Marines a day apart be a bigger crisis than anything the current President has yet faced? Could it be that in that kinder, gentler time, it was acknowledged that the President is first, and foremost, a human being? And could it be that it was understood then that human beings often need to escape with their thoughts into a book, or a movie or a game to clear their minds in order to make better decisions?

I, for one, am thankful for the opportunities that Presidents get to relax. It is likely the world's most stressful occupation. Just look at how rapidly they age in office. And I frankly don't care if his instrument of choice was made by Stradivari or Titleist.