Behind the Laught...um...Polite Chuckles
Word on Drudge this morning is that ABC EXECS FORCE ROBIN WILLAMS TO CUT OSCAR SKIT. It doesn't go into the details of how violently Mr. Williams resisted or what measure of force the ABC execs employed ... maybe a painful back waxing.
I'd always heard the thing about comedy was timing -- and yet, according to Drudge, this is Williams' late, late entry into the Dobson v. Spongebob flap (chronicled here).
But seriously, folks: there is an issue worth investigating here. Is it the job of the public schools to teach tolerance? Can any organization just produce a DVD and teachers' guide and slip it into the curriculum? (And aren't you going to bitch about it being a free advertisement for capitalist icons like Barney and Viacom's Nickelodeon characters?)
Does Robin give a flying shazbot what the Williams kids are being taught in their cash-strapped public school? As a parent, I'm kind of curious. Can I at least hear what Dobson has to say? Jeez ... in America you're innocent until proven guilty -- unless the charge is "homophobia" or racism, in which case you're going down.
Here's a witty rejoinder for ya. All-knowing France has banned muslim headscarves in schools. Is that teaching tolerance? "We are family" and all that? I don't know ... I went to public school in the '70s where the other kids played "Smear the Queer" on the back lot.
Comedy isn't pretty. But does it have to be so goddamned smug?
I'd always heard the thing about comedy was timing -- and yet, according to Drudge, this is Williams' late, late entry into the Dobson v. Spongebob flap (chronicled here).
Williams explains: "For a while you get mad, then you get over it. They're afraid of saying Olive Oyl is anorexic. It tells you about the state of humor."I agree fully that the state of humor is pretty goddamn sad these days (Exhibit A: Janeane Garafalo, actress/comedienne). Olive Oyl anorexic? Pure ****ing comedy gold. But c'mon ... give Dobson a rest -- it's not like he misspelled "potato" or anything like that.
But seriously, folks: there is an issue worth investigating here. Is it the job of the public schools to teach tolerance? Can any organization just produce a DVD and teachers' guide and slip it into the curriculum? (And aren't you going to bitch about it being a free advertisement for capitalist icons like Barney and Viacom's Nickelodeon characters?)
Does Robin give a flying shazbot what the Williams kids are being taught in their cash-strapped public school? As a parent, I'm kind of curious. Can I at least hear what Dobson has to say? Jeez ... in America you're innocent until proven guilty -- unless the charge is "homophobia" or racism, in which case you're going down.
Here's a witty rejoinder for ya. All-knowing France has banned muslim headscarves in schools. Is that teaching tolerance? "We are family" and all that? I don't know ... I went to public school in the '70s where the other kids played "Smear the Queer" on the back lot.
Comedy isn't pretty. But does it have to be so goddamned smug?
2 Comments:
Is it the job of the public schools to teach tolerance? Whether it is or not, we (I'm a public school teacher) do. Funny, we tell the kids to think for themselves, great. But, "you must be tolerant...". Nice duplicity. Now, here's a funny story. Please follow the posts (1, 2, 3, 4. sorry, they're long) about racism where I teach. then read the final news story. a school was used for political purposes, and we reacted in pure pavlovian style. the paper actually got the story right, but we had to have a big assembly, put on all a big show, and demonstrate our "tolerance". all because a couple of people had a political ax to grind.
My whole point is that there is a fundamental difference between teaching tolerance based upon physical atributes (racial, gender, disabled, wearing hijab/yarmulke) and teaching tolerance based upon an individual's behavior. Teaching the first only requires that the child understand that such differences exist, something that is simple and intuitive, while teaching the latter requires an understanding of the behavior in question. To understand tolerance of gays requires an understanding of sexuality that I, for one, do not want any public school trying to teach my six year-old. Without such an understanding it is not teaching but memorization and indoctrination.
An insistance to always equate and include sexual-orientation with racial issues demonstrates either a failure to recognize such a fundamental difference between the two or a purposeful attempt at deception. Neither are characteristics I want to see in my child's school administration or teaching staff.
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