Basil meets bitter herbs

After a bitter debate between the better angels of my nature, I have decided to write this post. 

Mostly, I'm shocked we're still doing this thing -- where we endlessly bash Milton Wolf. 

But that's where we're at. 

Here's the brief 4-1-1:

Basil Dannenbohm, a new Kansas Representative, had the gall to invite Wolf as his guest to Brownback's State of the State Address. Apparently, Wolf at one point tweeted some harsh things about Brownback. Clearly, this means Wolf should never, EVER be allowed to attend any sort of public function EVER. 

And then, Basil had the audacity to post a photo of himself posing with Wolf. 

Quick. Someone grab the stakes. I'll get the lighter fluid. And then, the ill-timed invite became the stuff of social media hyperbole. An investigation was launched. The party insiders gathered their pitchforks.

Basil told people he brought Wolf to fish for information, but GOP investigators discovered that no, Basil just invited Wolf without asking anyone's permission.

I am baffled by the outrage this whole thing invoked. 

First, Basil should be able to bring whomever he wants to the State of the State Address. I mean, I'm going to kindly suggest that no sitting Republican officeholder invite David Duke to an event. But Wolf isn't David Duke.  He's just a guy who ran against Sen. Pat Roberts. That's not a crime. In fact, I would argue that a "family discussion" or a primary is a good thing. My feelings aren't hurt that Sen. Roberts had to work a little harder to get re-elected. No one has a RIGHT to a U.S. Senate seat. No one.

Second, people are saying Basil "lied" about his reasons for inviting Wolf. And I'm saying, Basil should never have been asked why he brought Wolf in the first place. Sure, lying is never acceptable, but he should never have been asked to explain his friendship, support, invitation because some people are still hoping to burn Wolf at the stake.

Somehow, the invite and the photo became the most petulant scandal in the history of well, post high school. I don't get it.

Roberts won, and for what it's worth, it appears Roberts was the right man for the job. Surely Roberts himself isn't holding onto this bitter herb of a hard-fought campaign. I sure hope he's going about the business of stopping President Obama rather than worrying about some guy who took a picture with some other irrelevant guy.

As Elsa once sang in the most virulent ear bug of a song -- Let it Go.

Please.