PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia City Council did a silly thing Thursday, passing a resolution honoring Joel Embiid as the “Most Valuable Philadelphian,” and calling the resolution silly is the best thing you can say about it. Embiid had finished second in the voting for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award to the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic, and the council apparently decided both to thumb its nose at those who voted for Jokic and to pander to Embiid, the 76ers, and the team’s fans. Don’t worry, Joel. We stand with you and all loyal Philadelphians in denouncing the injustice of this result.
Predictably, the resolution has been met with scorn and mockery for its lameness and for the assertion that the council has better, more productive ways to occupy its time than by passing such symbolic measures. That reaction is easy to understand, especially given the general vibe of our society these days. Sixers fans were offended that Embiid didn’t win MVP, which meant that City Council had to be offended on the fans’ behalf, which meant that the council felt compelled to pass this measure expressing this collective offense. It’s indignation all the way down, and it’s only enhanced by Philadelphians’ defensiveness over any real or perceived slight, even one as relatively innocuous as this.
That’s why I’m not particularly worked up about either Embiid’s snub or the council’s empty gesture. When I say that calling the resolution silly is the best thing you can say about it, I mean it. Honorifics reportedly accounted for more than 16% of the council’s legislative activity during a recent 20-year period, and if I had my choice, that figure would be closer to 50%. I’m all for more silliness from our local, regional, and national political leaders. It’s only when they get serious, when they enact and implement substantive policy, that they do real damage.
