Bill Moyers did a disturbing and fascinating piece on right-wing talk radio that you are all required to watch immediately. In my mind, this piece makes the point that there are two schools of political thought governing our country right now: Crazy and Not Crazy. The Crazy side believes that liberals are destroying the country through their dangerously ignorant beliefs in things like universal health care and social security and workers rights. The Not Crazy side believes that maybe if we make a really compelling argument, we can show the Crazy side that our beliefs in things like universal health care and social security and workers rights will make our country a nicer place to live.

Here’s one of the essential conundrums, though: it is very, very difficult to argue with a group of people who dispute our right to argue. The Not Crazies believe the Crazies should be allowed to air their opinions, but the Crazies believe the Not Crazies should not be allowed to air their opinions. Our ideology supports the existence of ideologies that do not support the existence of us. It seems like the Crazies will always win that battle, because we will let them continue to exist until they figure out how to stop us from existing.

Sadly, there’s absolutely nothing we can do to fix this structure, because if we change our minds and say the Crazies should not be allowed to air their opinions, then we are betraying the essential beliefs that make us the Not Crazies. It’s a damn shame, because the clips Bill Moyers includes from these radio shows feature the most repellent, hate-filled opinions I’ve ever heard expressed in public. And it is this kind of Crazy talk that inspired this maniac to shoot up a Unitarian church a couple of months ago. Who would’ve guessed … there are crazy people out there who listen to the Crazies and do things that are … crazy!

This guy Jesus had this awesome theory in which he encouraged his followers to “turn the other cheek” if someone slapped them. Soon afterwards, Jesus was nailed to a cross and left to die. I’m not sure what lesson we are to draw from this parable, but I can tell you what lesson the Crazies have taken from it: JESUS SHOULD’VE CARRIED A PIECE.

P.S. 5 posts today, just for you, Julia!