Tuesday, July 29, 2008

 
"Inside the house, officers found "Liberalism is a Mental Health Disorder" by radio talk show host Michael Savage, "Let Freedom Ring" by talk show host Sean Hannity, and "The O'Reilly Factor," by television talk show host Bill O'Reilly."


EDIT: Let's talk a little more about this. Let's compare it to the Virginia Tech shooting spree last year. Remember that one? For days you couldn't look at any news outlet without seeing the pictures of Killy McDouchebag and his widdle guns. There were the predictable calls to ban video games, despite the fact that the guy DIDN'T FUCKING PLAY VIDEO GAMES. Columbine, same thing, let's ban black trenchcoats and Marilyn Manson. Oh, and video games.

This time, though, it's been a veritable media blackout; after the breaking news reports, there's been almost no followup. What's the difference this time? Is it because only two people died? Not really. Is it because it's an old man, rather than a teenager? Getting warmer. Is it because he went to a Unitarian church to "kill liberals?" DINGDINGDINGDING

I admit I'm not too conversant in Sean Hannity. He gets namedropped in most of Al Franken's books, and I know his job is to debate with Alan "Straw Man" Colmes. He's a fuckwad, but he's more henchman than supervillain.

Michael "savage" Weiner has only recently come onto my radar; a few weeks ago he made comments that autism is "a racket" and that kids who are labeled autistic just need to be smacked around more. I'm exaggerating that, but only a little bit. In reading about this shitstorm, the fact comes out that, while he goes by "Michael Savage," his real name is Michael Weiner, which explains everything you need to know about him. I guess "Michael Schwarzenegger Badass-who's-TOTALLY-had-lots-of-girlfriends" was taken.

And then there's BillO, the best-known of this demonic trinity. Start with the combination of ignorance and arrogance pioneered by Rush Limbaugh, add in the apelike aggression of a high-school jock, throw in a dash of sexual predator, and you have the man who even Limbaugh can't stand.

So, am I turning the situation around, and suggesting that we ban books by these and other right-wing blowhards? As much as I'd like to live in a world where I don't have to hear this shit, I do believe in the first amendment. But with every other incident, we have to watch the scapegoat du jour squirm under all the scrutiny and try to explain how Columbine totally wasn't their fault, and I for one would like to see the spotlight turned in the other direction.

Bill, you were the one who declared a "culture war." And now it has casualties. Happy, you sleazy piece of shit?

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