October 23, 2004
Why Do I Think He's Probably Opposed to the Death Penalty?
Several people have noted the latest salvo from the Angry Left calling for the death of President George W. Bush as the ultimate test of the ends justifying the means.
Here's a slightly updated version of the comment I left over at Tim Blair's place:
Come on Tim, this is just some of the nuanced British irony that us Yanks and you Aussies are too simplistic to appreciate. When Charlie Brooker says, "John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr - where are you now that we need you?", he's making a sly reference to Republican attempts to suppress the black vote by keeping them away from the voting booths as John Wilkes wanted to do; he is merely expressing his support for John Kerry, as Lee Harvey Oswald killed another former senator from Massachusetts who had been elected president; and, um ..., well ..., I guess Hinckley must be rhyming slang for something related to a respectful approach to democratic elections and the will of the people. I mean, if he was talking about murdering US presidents, why is John Hinckley Jr in this list instead of Leon Czolgosz?
Either that or Mr. Brooker is a tendentious, mayhem-seeking lowlife who wishes the US to imitate what he must imagine is the highpoint of British democracy -- 18th century elections like those depicted in William Hogarth's prints.
An Election Entertainment
Chairing the Members
DOWNDATE: I've corrected Mr. Brooker's name above. I certainly don't want anyone to assume anyone named Charlie Booker or Charlie Parker wrote this. I am beginning to worry about my dyslexia though.