Monday, April 13, 2009

Everybody knows that the dice are loaded




It’s a tough world, y’all. Muslims may don blackface to imitate your president. Asians insist on having complicated names. Adorable comic actors are rationalizing date rape.

The press is taunting vegetarians and calling our concerns for the planet pretentious and tiresome, which probably assures us of some kind of Al Gore-type told-you-so status in the coming years, but still.

Plus, it turns out pirates are kinda sympathetic, after all.

And the courageous and outspoken director of LSU’s Hurricane Center, who refused to be silent about the criminal neglect committed against the residents of New Orleans by the Army Corp of Engineers, has finally been fired by the University. BushCo, even though out of office, has a long reach indeed.

A unique symbol of the American Revolution is being co-opted by corporations and the lobbyists and think tanks that shill for them, as citizens born without the sense god gave a goose cheer them on.

Our president struggles well to make himself heard and to be the thing that keeps our bloated and half-drowned asses from going under for the last time. And for his efforts, he is ridiculed by terrible people who seem to have no problem with the fact that they are, or might become, the inspiration for awful, pointless violence.

I love my country dearly, and I am sorely tired of pointing this out to those that believe that they can only gain for themselves at the expense of others. The world is corrupt, foolish, and reckless, and becoming more so every day, it seems. Is it any wonder that at last Friday’s wonderful, amazing, heartbreaking Leonard Cohen concert, the following poem cut through my skin and into my soul like a hot knife through Chinese drywall?



Thank you, Uncle Lenny.

10 comments:

Larry Jones said...

I don't know this poem, or is it a song? Did he recite this? I love it, I love Leonard. I'm sorry I didn't see the show.

vikkitikkitavi said...

I actually found a video of him from the tour reciting this poem, and I'm going to update the post with it. I believe there is also a song version of "A Thousand Kisses Deep."

Yeah, LC is the best. I never thought he'd go back on the road, so seeing him was the chance of a lifetime for me, that's for sure.

dguzman said...

It's getting harder and harder to listen to the radio, watch TV, or read newspapers--for all the reasons you state here.

Jess said...

I hate to say it, but I'm kinda selfishly grateful to that guy who stole all of Uncle Lenny's money! It means I got to see him live.

Spooney said...

Great post, baby

Spooney said...

If you look at that pic in the post real quick - it looks like you made a bazooka out out me & you are going to fire me over your shoulder....Spoonzooka!!

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

Is Spooney bowing down to you in that photo? If he's not and you want someone to bow down to you, I'll do it. ;0)

Zoe Wiseman said...

this made me tear up

Moderator said...

How do you do it every single time? You deserve the break.

Moderator said...

Is it wrong that I've never "gotten" Leonard Cohen?