freedom, responsibility and dustbowl 2006...

freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of expression...all wonderful things us westerners claim to hold dear. don't get me wrong, i am a big proponent of such freedom, of the ability of people to live as they choose, and (at least in theory) have a fair shake, and the opportunity to (again, in theory) speak and illustrate as they choose...and i have never been a big fan of overdoing political correctness...but there is a line, and even i will admit if the publishing of those damn cartoons didn't cross it, then the republishing of them surely did.

for starters, as far as editorial cartoons go...they aren't that good. they really don't make you think, they aren't creative, they don't make much of a point, and the illustration is second-rate.

secondly, at some point one must make a distinction between being politically correct and just being plain not being an asshole. afterall, what purpose did these cartoons serve? they were originally published simply as a means to lampoon a religion...to make an example for free speech. but why?with freedom, just as i've said with privilege, comes responsibility. we must be aware of the world around us...sure, you have a right to say whatever the hell you want...but why do it just for the purpose of offending a significant portion of the population? i just don't understand that...at all.

and then there is the reprinting of them "in solidarity" with the danish paper...and the reprinting them as "news"...the good old daily illini did the latter. claiming that a serious discussion couldn't be held if people did not see the cartoons...in the same editorial where the writer basically said "look how big my testicles are! i have more balls than all the rest of the american media combined! freedom of the press is great!" good job buddy, you did it...be proud...just like your teeball trophy says...you've come so far.

needlessly offending people for the sake of showing that you are free to offend them...isn't freedom grand.

as further proof that the end of days is near (never mind the natural disasters, the clash of cultures between the middle east and the west, the proliferation of nuke-u-lar...it's pronounced nuke-u-lar...weapons, etc. etc.)...the united states is on the verge of another dustbowl period. drought, unseasonably warm and dry weather...if this keeps up we'll all be heading to california to pick grapes...and then we will really be pissed at the mexicans that cross the border to do that job in the hopes they can better their families' lives...

the touch of skin gives me reason to believe again...