Spritopias: Episode IX

Spritopias: Episode IX

Queen Amidamier tries to hold her head up as the monologue being presented by someone unattractive (off camera) drones on

The past two weeks at school were written and directed by George Lucas: the dialog boring, the plot absurd, and the costuming ridiculous. I kept wanting to write about the incidents and accidents (hints and allegations) going on around me but they were coming at me so quickly I had scarce time to appreciate the special effects or fleeting references to pop culture.

I have been keeping busy with teaching, going to school and working an extra job and have had little time to enjoy myself. I catch as catch can – but is it ever enough? There have been incidents and accidents that I have longed to share with you but because of my hectic lifestyle, I have been forced to wait until now to share with you what was going on in my world.

There have been little things that have been very funny, Nigel announcing upon receiving an exam that, “This is going to hurt me more than it is going to hurt you,” or the fact that all the students gave me valentines they made themselves with little argyle hearts on them – an unplanned, simultaneous mockery of my ‘fashion’ choices.

Then there has been my reaction to the recent uprising over a four-month-old cartoon in an obscure newspaper in an obscure European country (the critique was on point but cartoon was classless, the offense genuine but the reaction validated the critique). I was unconcerned about it – Europeans do not think before they speak and Middle Easterners and the Muslim world has to sort out how they are going to respond to the response to their actions. That was until they pulled down statues of Ronald McDonald and Colonel Sanders.

What most Westerners and especially Americans do not realize is that despite what our Government and Press tell us, the Middle Eastern papers and Governments mock our religious and political figures at will and do not respect our opinions, faiths, or politics. They are entitled under our framework for civil society – we are not under theirs. I wonder about a people whose faith is so fragile, whose way of life is so fragile, that a stupid cartoon in an unimportant newspaper in an out of the way country would cause them so much angst.

It gets worse: apparently, women in Saudi Arabia are boycotting and speaking out against Oprah! Nothing good can come of that, how dare they? Who do they think they are? They have some nerve, I will tell you that.

However, they are crossing the line not when they storm our embassies or burn our flags, even when they boycott our clever consumer products – they are crossing the line when they attack the graven (and craven) of our gods. Who are they to pull down, much less touch, the sacred image of Ronald McDonald? Who are they to spit on Colonel Harlan Sanders?

Luckily, our Government acted swiftly – stashing Ms. Winfrey, Mr. Mc Donald, and Colonel Sanders to undisclosed secure locations along with their families and anyone invited to ‘go hunting’ with our illustrious Vice President.

I think that in the long run we need to learn how to coexist with other cultures in the world, but I think that other cultures could take a page or two from our book and realize that they too will need to learn to accept the cultures of others. Many people in this country, in this western culture, contend that they do, already are, or should not have to but I contend that is clear that while they protest (violently) something that think is clever when they do it, there is something wrong. This is the most important part: the damn cartoon was published four months ago. Are they on a payment plan? Offensive Cartoon – don’t worry – no protest or interest needed until next year!

The other essential thing to remember is this: in these countries, the press is controlled by the government. When they have a cartoon of Jesus, Buddha, George Bush, or Tony Blair, in their newspaper the government allowed it or ordered it. Also, these governments point to the United States, Europe, and Israel as the source and norm for the problems of every day people and not their shoddy governance. We have to understand that while we think our Government controls us and tells us what to think, we are far from that style of life and that other people really do live in a world where their access to information is controlled by nefarious people who put a priority on thought control as a way of controlling their populations. We live better than that but we are also seeing what happens when our freedoms insult people who are not aware of the fact that we really do have a free press.

Comments

[cosmic]

I could not have said that better myself, nor have I seen it said better anywhere else. My sentiments? Like the old addage goes: Don't dish it out if you can't take it yourself.

[Sally]

BRAVO! Bellissimo!

[John]

I wouldn't worry about Oprah's safety. She's been known to devour the souls of her enemies. Sometimes it's even nationally televised.

[Alex Vance]

Well said, Sprite.

And I'm glad you're posting again. I was about to alert the Nutmeg State Militia.

[liz]

I have missed you too. Everytime I see something argyle I get all weepy. Loved the article, by the way. Touchy folk, those muslims.

[golfwidow]

I very much like the colander-and-spaghetti hat in that photo.

[l'empress]

Well done! If only our government (or the so-called spokesmen thereof) could speak as well.

[Terri]

Poignant. Piquant. With just a touch of pungent-ness. I can't think of another 'P' word that applies... Thesaurus anyone?

I missed you, darlin.

[Summer Gale]

Amen! Well said!