Spot the Idiot

The debate over Ward Churchill has yielded a worthy rallying cry:

"Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots."

In that spirit, I'm playing "Spot the Idiot" with today's editorial page. Here's the winner:

We all look out on world happenings and try to put it all into perspective.

Among numerous other things, I’ve been called “an artist.” With that nebulous title, I think/feel the artist’s motivations are attempting to see, to clarify and to interpret. Beyond that, I believe artists encourage greater freedom, and so greater possibility.

So, it would seem that we (artists and all) would look to and support a leader who speaks of freedom (wouldn’t that be wonderful). Sadly, we’ve come to realize that President Bush who would seem to promote freedom, does it with a manipulative agenda and “saber-rattling.” Since 9/11, we’ve really wished for a leadership that would truly lead, but instead, we’ve gotten deception, usury and marketing.

It seems we’ve been sold a bill of goods – and George W. keeps telling us that we have everything to fear (sadly, it seems, the majority believes that). As an artist, a concerned citizen and a brother to humankind, I have to ask - what is wrong with this picture?

"Some people call me an artist. Why, it turns out those 'some people' are, in fact, me. So, since artists historically are such able political observers, let me tell you, BUSH LIED BUSH LIED BUSH LIED. Oh, and I wish most people were as smart as I am."

P.S.: He used one seven-dollar word in the whole piece, "usury," but he didn't know how to spell it. It was "usery" in the original. I fixed it in editing. Saved his artistic ass; I wish we didn't have to do that.