1st gentleman

[Laurence Horn]

>larry,
>
>Not so. michigan.gov recognizes Daniel Granholm Mulhern as "First
>Gentleman," even in his web address:
>http://www.michigan.gov/firstgentleman/
>
>dInIs
>
And for those interested in the background to Mr. Mulhern's
assumption of the title, he offers the explanation below.  (Seems to
me he wants to have it both ways--striving to be a traditional
gentleman on the one hand, and opting for "Dan" as his "preferred
moniker" from strangers on the other.)

Larry, who admits to not having native intuition on this one.
==================

                            What's in a Name?

                            While doing research on integrity, I
stumbled across a 104 year old essay by a John MacLaren that answered
the question, "What is a Gentleman?"  It's wonderfully written, so
click on the link
[http://ourworld.cs.com/bobbynorthlake/gentleman.html#top ] if you're
interested.  Mr. MacLaren's essay prompted me to put on this public
site the reason why I chose the title "First Gentleman."  Initially,
when people asked me what they should call me I said, "call me Dan,"
and that remains my preferred moniker.  But after being asked
repeatedly, I decided if a title was in order, why not call me "the
first gentleman."  I chose this title for a few reasons.  First,
other male spouses had already claimed the fun names: first hunk,
first dude, and first coach.  Seriously, I learned from my Irish
grandmother's repeated instructions, that gentleman meant something,
and most important it meant that you showed respect to ladies, and a
special fidelity to your lady.  I am proud and humbled to serve my
wife.  As "first lady" connotes a respect for her husband and her
governor, it seems like "first gentleman" is an appropriate mirror
image that conveys respect to the leader of the state.  Second, I
chose the title with the thought that it might help to inject this
word back into our vocabulary.  I think all men should strive to be
"gentlemen," a word, and perhaps therefore a style, that has
unfortunately lost meaning in our culture.  We have lost appreciation
for the humility and civility that the word connotes.  So, I see the
title as something I try to earn every day, by showing respect to my
elders, love for my wife, kindness to children.  Mr. MacLaren says it
so much better than I.  I hope you'll read his thoughts -- more
potent today than at the outset of the 20th century.

                                   - Daniel Granholm Mulhern
                                   - First Gentleman