I find this extremely objectionable.

Here's what a gratuitous Joshua Green (who otherwise is reliably enjoyable) has to say about Rick Santorum's high-school yearbook photo:

A quick office straw poll here at The Atlantic, conducted amidst uproarious laughter, confirms that this is, in fact, the single worst year book photo that most of us have ever seen. An outright disaster. I suppose it's Santorum's misfortune to have been in high school during this era. I'm pretty sure that 1976 wasn't too kind to anyone. But still. Wow--he looks like McLovin in polyester. I have yet to meet the political consultant talented enough to spin this one. My condolences to Santorum. Brave of him to have struggled through this and made something of this life.

Hey, I graduated high school in 1976. And I looked way worse than Santorum (shown right). I was saddled with geeky aviator glasses, printed dress shirts covered with grape vines and other awwwful designs. On special occasions I "made the scene" in one of my three (3) pant suits, among them a yellow crimpoline (sp?) number with pearl dome buttons. (There's worse, but I'm not about to commit it all to pixels.)

I object to discrimination on any basis, and that includes fashion victimhood. This is a cheap shot, Josh. I guessing from your own photo that you graduated in later, more fashion-correct times. You might even have had a wardrobe consultant. (One of my friends did. His name was Icepick.)

I mean, show some pity. Think of all the neat girls at Carmel High School in Mundelein, Ill. that Rick daren't approach for fear of rejection. Think of the ceaseless ridicule. ("Hey Rick, where's your slide rule?" "Your Mom cut your hair again? She use the same bowl?")

There's a legion of us that struggled to emerge from a mid-1970s cocoon. Please, for the love of G-d, don't make us drag our tragic childhoods all the way to the grave.

(Lest any of you mistake this for one of my rants, I've just applied for an internship at the Onion.)

Related

Chris Good has a collection of high-school photos of declared and possible 2012 GOP presidential contenders,

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