Idiocy in government

Kind of a pointless and redundant headline, I know. The more I put links to stupid government acts, the harder it will be to come up with an original headline. Maybe I'll just add numbers on the end. Keep a running count.

This report in the London Times outlines the administrations intentions to start a $200 million advertising campaign to convince people we need to go to war against Iraq.

The monies being spent on an advertising campaign to increase the mob's desire to murder is obscene in so many different ways. The mere fact that there are, right now, people sitting around deciding on how to put the best possible spin on killing others. "Let's see, how about we dehumanize them?" "No, no, let's glorify our potential actions." "Can we make it light hearted?" "Light hearted dehumanization? You mean like reality TV?" "Exactly!" "I love that! Run with it!"

$200 million is $75 million less than the annual budget of the Charlote public school system.

I have to imagine that this is unprecedented. Has there ever in the history of the world ever been a marketing campaign for war? How can you possibly portray this? I have an idea: How about a bunch of America-hating peace protesters walking around in a cordoned "free speech zone" somewhere in the vicinity of the white house, holding signs and chanting anti-war slogans. Then the camera zooms to a tight shot of a soldier standing off to the side and a single tear runs down his face?


Free Speech Zones

When we were up in Asheville this weekend I was reading an article in a monthly newspaper who's main concern was preserving the forests of Western Appalachia. A noble goal. The article mentions some protests that were organized during a recent visit to the area by the EPA. I was shocked to learn that protesters were limited to areas euphemistically deemed as "free speech zones." These ridiculous areas even exist on college campuses now. Notice that the student activity center is nice enough to supply their students a map to the free speech zone. Any protest worth its salt should be held not on the free speech zone but somewhere it can stop traffic and get people arrested.

I wonder if George Carlin is familiar with this term? He loves dumbass euphemisms.