What is a kyl?

Apparently it is a lie, otherwise known, according to the office of Senator Jon Kyl of  Arizona as something “not intended to be a factual statement.”

As in stating, as Senator Kyl did for the record, that “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does” is related to abortions. The facts show the actual number to be just 3%.

Senator Kyl’s explanation that what he said was “not intended to be a factual statement “ is very, very bad and very, very sad.

For him and for the state of politics and polite society.

So, to help Senator Kyl in ways that those who should be advising him don’t seem able to, here are some simple rules for handling BIG PUBLIC LIES in politics and in polite society:

Rule No I: Do not lie

Rule No 2: When found out, the classy thing to do is say “I’m sorry. That was a stupid thing I said, given the facts.”

Rule No 3:  Apologize to those whose reputation you have sullied and whose financial stability  and very existence could be gravely harmed  by your lie.

Rule No 4: Apologize to those amongst whom you planted the lie: on the Senate floor, and in the public arena via the media

Compounding a lie with gracelessness of such magnitude as that demonstrated by Senator Kyl merits some lasting recognition.

Henceforth perhaps we might speak of telling a  “kyl” the same way we would speak of telling a bare-faced lie, a whopping fib, a made-up piece of mischievous nonsense.

Think how useful that would be in characterizing so much of what tries to pass for political commentary on taxes, healthcare, unions, the reason for the national debt, the President’s place of birth etc etc. How efficient it would be to simply say, “Don’t listen to that garbage: it’s just a kyl.”

And by the way, the eighth (if you’re Catholic, ninth if you’re Protestant, like Senator Kyl) commandment is: Thou shalt not bear false witness (lie).