or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
•
"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
November 15, 2007
Speaking of Shared Values
By: Bernard Chazelle
UK Foreign Office minister Kim Howells was caught recently swooning over the "shared values" of Britain and the Saudi monarchy. Thankfully, observers did not have to scratch their heads very long before figuring out what the hell he was talking about.
A 19-year old Saudi woman is gang-raped 14 times in a single attack. In the land of Good King Abdullah, justice is swift and severe: 6 months in jail and 200 lashes!
And that's only for her.
Next time, she'll know better than to associate with men unrelated to her. I mean, who would do such a ghastly thing?
ADDED BY JON: To be fair to Howells, I'm sure he's horrified by Saudi policies toward women. It's just that it's awkward to bring up things like that with your friends when there are so many deeper values you really do share, such as corruption on a multi-billion dollar scale.
ADDED BY BERNARD: You raise an interesting philosophical question. What's worse: being blind to evil or being fully aware of it and enabling it?
You guys remember the "Shared Values" campaign our State Department launched in 2002, directed at the Arabs? Included highly successful videos, withdrawn after only about a month, still avilable (I think) on Youtube.
When people talk about "Shared Values," reach for your Luger. Or, Lager.
so the beard and mustache are painted on, right?
Posted by: mathpants at November 15, 2007 03:58 PMso the beard and mustache are painted on, right?
Don't be ridiculous. They're glued.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at November 15, 2007 04:05 PMExcellent!! Thanks for the good news, Steveb.
Got to slice the question up more by distinguishing between those truly blind to or ignorant of evil (quite rare) and those wilfully blind to it (quite common).
Posted by: donescobar at November 15, 2007 04:50 PMHOW ABOUT those who could actually DO something yet stand by and don't. (1-202-225-0100 IMPEACH)
Posted by: Mike Meyer at November 15, 2007 05:03 PMdonescobar: indeed. It's hard to be blind but there's nothing easier than to be wilfully blind.
Posted by: Bernard Chazelle at November 15, 2007 06:26 PMi forget who said it: "It is difficult to convince a man to see something his job depends on his being blind to."
The entire edifice of "Western Culture" depends on everyone having a price...
just sayin'
'What's worse: being blind to evil or being fully aware of it and enabling it?'
Fool or knave, which takes the palm? Hannity is a fool and Kristol is a knave. Bush fool, Cheney knave. Which is worse?
It's a toughie.
Posted by: at November 15, 2007 07:26 PM'What's worse: being blind to evil or being fully aware of it and enabling it?'
Fool or knave, which takes the palm? Hannity is a fool and Kristol is a knave. Bush fool, Cheney knave. Which is worse?
It's a toughie.
Posted by: Glenn Condell at November 15, 2007 07:27 PMwha-- "share values"? did you say?
Posted by: hapa at November 15, 2007 07:52 PMIt's a bit in poor taste to pick on the Queen though, who is a mere figurehead in this. It's not a constitutional monarch for nothing, no?
Posted by: En Ming Hee at November 15, 2007 08:32 PMPlus, she's probably related to King Abdullah. All those royals are like second cousins or something, no?
Posted by: Doctorb Science at November 15, 2007 09:23 PMI can understand Borat pulling this stunt on the Queen, but he doesn't look all that good with a goatee and keffiyah.
Posted by: MFB at November 16, 2007 01:41 AM It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it.
Upton Sinclair
US novelist & socialist politician (1878 - 1968)
---quotationspage.com
Posted by: mistah charley, ph.d. at November 16, 2007 07:36 AMADDED BY JON: To be fair to Howells...
This sudden outbreak of "fairness" has me worried. Please try not to let it happen again.
Posted by: SteveB at November 16, 2007 11:48 PM
