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 Patriotism and Humor
by Ruth Calvo  Again, we owe Mr. Steven Colbert a world of thanks for the discomfort he dished out two years back to WH hacks who enabled the war on Iraq, torture, U.S. loss of honor, and our economic disasters. Last night was the first WH press corps dinner after the victory of reality-based policy; last night was partially a result of the reality-based humor Colbert deliver. That humor that brought the country around to reality broke through a lot of pretense, and should not be forgotten. It most definitively hasn’t been forgiven by the justly embarrassed WH press corpse. Today the wingers are incensed over Ms. Wanda Sykes’ smackdown of wanting President Obama to fail, which was done outside of the humorous vein. She called it for what it is, the stuff of treachery. Conservatism was taken over by ideologists who put possession of the country’s highest offices above the country’s interests, and from that has sprung actual treachery. That kind of power obsession has been the ruin of the party that used to be fond of patriotism, and supportive of the country, even while being wrongheaded in the means it espoused. It is a great element destruction of the former ‘republican’ party that the right wing has fallen over the edge of beliefs, and into the apostasy of current party hacks. It is a dividing line between the GOP of the past and the present, that ideologists have turned against their country because most U.S. citizens reject the right wing. When Ms. Sykes wished ill to Rush’s kidneys, it was a step over the edge of good taste as well, but not nearly so huge a step as wishing the country failure. Neither remarks, while they are done in a vein of humor, should be absolved on that account. We don’t do right when we condone wishing bodily harm to anyone, not when it is done as a pretense for national security, and not when it is done to condemn the element supporting those atrocities. The liberal thinkers who have finally come back into control do well to keep watch on our extremists. We should not wander into that ideological defenestration, that equates good ends with inexcusable means. We don’t wish Rush Limbaugh liver failure. We do wish his tasteless fans were as far above the fray as that, too. By the way, that is not bipartisan. It’s partisan in the best way; on the liberal side, we like justice, decency, economic equality and rule of law. We don’t stray from our ideals to be pleasant to those that despise those ideals. That wouldn’t do our country the good we are trying for. We are partisan in wanting the best for our country, not supporting those that want it to fail. (W/thanks to David Derbes for support in this concept.) Born TX 1944, Wellesley '66, Capitol Hill legislative aide to Sen. Ralph W. Yarborough where worked in environmental leg., on first bill to give federal protection to endangered species and preservation of Padre Island and Guadalupe Mts., raised family in Montgomery County, MD, managed a few campaigns for MD legislatures, worked as legislative aide to Del. Gene Counihan, received MD Arts Council award for playwriting, worked on advisory bd to D.C. New Playwrights' Theatre, plays produced there and at National Theatre Monday Night local program, articles in Equus and VA Country magazines, then ran away and joined circus, where managed Misty Family Pony Farm in Chincoteague, VA, now retired in N.TX. near Lake Texoma, blogging, gardening (including small but dedicated veggie patch), travelling, working in congressional campaign for 4th district seat in House for Dr. Glenn Melancon. Ruth blogs at Cab Drollery.
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Tags: Ruth Calvo Steven Colbert Patriotism Humor WH press corps
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