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Commenting
31 March 2004
4 14:18

In reading online news headlines, it occurs to me that I haven't watched American Idol even once this season. I think that's rather phenomenal. Can anyone else make the same claim? The people who produce all these ridiculous "reality" TV shows (I'm not going to name them; we all know what and who they are.) should be hog-tied, dragged into the street, put in stocks (preferably in Times Square, since there are so fucking many annoying tourists milling about there like the stupid pigeons on the ground, and they DEFINITELY need one more thing to look at that they don't have back in Omaha...No offence intended to Nebraskans; there are some serious hotties out there), and flogged. It should be taped and broadcast as The Ultimate Reality. I'd be particularly pleased of the people doing the hog-tying, dragging and flogging were real screenwriters. I must confess, though, that I'm torn between a desire to be able to keep my soul and my psyche free of the pestilence that is that particular Fox network show and a nasty curiosity to see just what sort of a farce it is the third time 'round...And comment on it.

I ALWAYS have to comment. When I was a child, that was what got me into the most trouble; it wasn't so much that I misbehaved as that I always had to have the last word -- had to be right and had to have everybody know it. I cannot tell how many hours I spent staring at the corner of the downstairs hallway next to the hinges of the front door. I can still see the wallpaper pattern in my head; I'd draw it, but I can't really draw anything well except music notation and letters (and if you�ve seen my handwriting recently, you�d be inclined to dispute the latter). It may seem a cruel punishment, but it was honestly the only one that would work at all. My parents tried all the usual things and realised that they didn't work; corporal punishment merely frustrated them, as it only provoked me all the more. For some reason, though, standing in that corner, I'd shut my mouth. I have to confess that was satisfying too, on a certain level, because alone in the corner, I could stand and pout and gloat over how right I was and how wrong the world. Sometimes I'm amazed at how little I've changed in some areas.

A few days ago, I walked into the bookstore to get myself a terribly unhealthy snack (Pepsi, not diet, crackers, cookies, candy...I will NOT consume all of this today, don't worry.), and I was practically assaulted by the sheer volume of books displayed right next to the door about the current leader of this nation. I will not mention his name here again, but he is a pathetic, sad excuse for a human being, a puppet for anyone with enough money, and I resent the quantities of ink and tree fibers that are regularly wasted on him and his evil regime. I'm not really into giving press to people I don't like. (So WHY do you do it all the time, dog?!)

I�m getting ready to do it some more, here, though. I find it deeply annoying when people think they're really terribly clever, but they just get by with telling the same fucking story over & over, especially when the story isn't that good in the first place. I'm not saying about whom I'm talking here specifically, but he works for MTV, and people think an awful lot of him because he's cute. I sometimes like to read his 'blog because it's funny or poignant; sometimes he makes really wonderful points or posts really hilarious stories or deeply touching texts. I�m not going to say that I really don�t like him, but I do wish he thought better, or at least more thoroughly. I also sometimes like to read him because he makes me angry and further reinforces my knowledge of how much work needs to be done to drag the vast majority of Americans up to some basic human level of brain function. He energises me that way. I'll bet fucking him would energise me, too, but I digress.

I really want to comment on something he wrote. (We knew this was coming.) "We can't even imagine those times." He wrote that repeatedly back in early July of 2003 about the various times in history, when for example, people might be hanged for signing their names to a certain piece of paper (obviously referring to the Declaration of Independence). I believe we live in similarly dangerous times NOW, and things only seem to be getting worse. I�m not going to go on at great length here, but I do think that EVERYONE should read that nefarious piece of legislation introduced with basically no question and very little examination in the wake of 11 September 2001 known as �The Patriot Act.� It�s available online, and it�s fucking scary, even to a generally fairly conservative-leaning (though NOT �Religious Right�, �Neocon�, or �Republican�) attractive well-educated middle-class Christian (no, not like those �Christians� � They�d crucify Jesus again, if He were here today, and me along with Him) cracker like me. I�m not a big fan of the ACLU, either, but the more I read, the more I think they make some excellent points. If you want further evidence, read here. It's not the best-written thing I've ever read (neither is this diary), but it summarises things nicely. A dear friend of mine used to have in his e-mail signature file the quotation, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." That has never rung more true to me than it does these days. So the truth is that we CAN imagine those times, 'cause we're living in them.

One final comment for this entry: I'm not a fan of the folks in HAMAS; they're a little extreme for my taste (MASSIVE understatement), but they've got two things right. George Bush (There goes my attempt at not mentioning the demon's name.) may well be the enemy of Islam. George Bush most assuredly IS the enemy of God.

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