Shame on Comedy Central for empowering extremists

Trey Parker and Matt Stone are national treasures.  I want my children to tune into South Park, and all other TV shows and films created by this talented duo.  Watching South Park my kids have learned tolerance, and acceptance. They have learned to appreciate that handicap people ( Jimmy and Timmy) are just as whole and complete as those who are not handicapped, and that  people no matter their sexual orientation (Big Gay Al and Mr. Garrison) are caring and giving people.  They have learned about the perils of peer pressure from watching Kyle and Stan resist succumbing.  My kids have learned about safe sex from Ms. Chokesondik, they have learned not to be afraid of an extremist named Bin Laden.  And my kids have learned about eternal optimism from Butters, a kid who if locked in a room full of donkey sh*t will happily play knowing that with all that donkey sh*t there has GOT to be a donkey in there somewhere…however if he brings the animal home his parents will probably ground him.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone should never, ever be censored.

There is a problem with lie detectors

If when a person lies there is a physiological response to the untruth than the machine wouldn’t need an attendant.  All that would be necessary would be to connect the suspected liar to the Lie Detector and let the machine ask the questions, record the response and measure the physiological markers.  However the reality is that when a person lies there is no physical response unless a very intimidating person is listening.

In spear toting primitive cultures liars were meted out by applying the fire heated head of a spear on the tongue of the suspected liar.  If a person was telling the truth there would be enough saliva to dull the heat.  However the liar would have a dry mouth and the tongue would burn.  This worked because a primitive man holding a red hot spear head is very intimidating.  We have the modern equivalent of that in the nice Jewish lady Judge Judy.  She is so intimidating that when she asks a question and the answer is a lie she can detect the subtle physical “tells” including the dry mouth.  The only reason for the Lie Detector is to create something tangible as a memento of the “test.” Apparently little squiggles on paper prove the lie and let us know that the “testee” was intimidated by the “tester.”

There goes the neighborhood

The allegations are unthinkable and the numbers staggering especially the numbers of Priests involved, children violated, and years of inaction.  If this had occurred in any other organization, private or public, it would be the demise of that organization.  Sexual abuse of minors, especially at the hands of someone who is expected to protect and nurture them, is intolerable.  Under “normal” circumstances we could expect that after the first revelations of molestation and abuse the culprit would be removed from their position.  There would follow, and appropriately so, criminal and civil proceedings.  If the organization survives after paying the cost of those proceedings it would be inspired to make sure child abuse never happens again behind its doors.  I am sure that the Pope would like to think that he heads a very pious and moral organization.  I beg to differ.