Jackson Free Press

Dear JoAnne,
Sure, there are many faults in Bush, just as there are in any politician. I am the first to admit it. But in the JFP "Donkeys Have a Shot?" you directly imply that Bush is retarded. If it were a little liberal joke, that would be understandable. Just like saying Clinton is a lying nymphomaniac. Or that Kerry is on both sides of every issue. But in the context of the article, it is literally stating that Bush is retarded. Are you saying that Democrats discriminate and make fun of handicapped people? What happened to your bleeding heart?
— Michael in Jackson

Dear Michael,
Thank you so much for your comment. It's gratifying to know that you read my column. To your point: There is no discrimination stated or implied in my answer. Indeed, I do have the utmost sympathy for George W. Bush. I have so much sympathy, in fact, that I believe there are other government programs more suitable for the man than the presidency.

Really, I don't mind (most) Republicans. It's just that almost nothing about the Republican Party makes any sense to me. Never has. I am a Democrat. I am a liberal Democrat. And I'm proud of it. Liberals founded this country, and its principles are those of liberals. "All men are created equal and they are endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights and among those rights are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." You think a conservative wrote those words? The word "liberal" comes from the Latin word for free—America, you know, the land of the free and the brave, or as Fannie Lou Hamer once said, "the land of the free and the grave."

Recently I heard about a scientific study that showed that the brains of liberals and conservatives are different. Since everything has gotten so polarized, I guess you can say that there are Democratic brains and Republican brains. That information was very instructive to me, because it seemed to explain something I've never understood how some people can actually be Republicans. But now I know: Their brains are wired differently than mine. I just thank God every day I got a Democratic brain. I don't know what I did to deserve it, but I'm going to work my heart out in gratitude for the rest of my life.

And that's the truth.

Fax questions to 510-9019, or mail to Ask JoAnne, JFP, PO Box 2047, Jackson, Miss., 39225.

Previous Comments

ID

69324

Comment

This. Cracked. Me. Up. I also heard a sketch last week from Mo Rocca on the subject. About how playing dress up (as in Flight Suits on the deck of aircraft carriers) was an important part of childhood development, and we should encourage that. And, for the record, I do think that there are some hilarious jokes about Clinton's, er, foibles. But there's just not anything about Kerry that's funny. Except those photos that compare him to those wrinkly faced dogs.

Author

kate

Date

2004-05-26T07:36:25-06:00