Joe wants to "Keep Your Team Out of My Book"

I usually enjoy Joe Queenan's columns and essays wherever I encounter them, as well as his rare appearances on TV shows such as Bill Maher's Real Time on HBO. His essay in last Sunday's (April 18, 2010) New York Times Book Review is exceptionally funny, especially for baseball fans. Yankee-haters will laugh out loud love it. I have to say that even I laughed out loud several times; it is just a wonderful piece about cultural realities. A link to the essay is provided here. Enjoy!

A Curmudgeon's View

Yes, I have been silent for several days now, enjoying Sarah Palin's and John McCain's comedy(?) routines during their SNL appearances. I just loved Ben Affleck's brilliant send-up of MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. Bill Maher's Real Time on HBO has been hilarious, not to mention Comedy Central's Chocolate News, Colbert Report and The Daily Show. Glenn Beck is off CNN and onto Fox (where he is one of their more centrist voices) and Lou Dobbs is still off his rocker. But what has fueled my indignation is the fact that 23% of Texans believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim. I am sure that many other states can boast(?) of similar ignorance, but Texas has often bragged of its education system and its enlightened stances on a myriad of subjects. Note that I have written the word "ignorance", not stupidity. Texans, as a whole, are far from stupid and those that I met in my four years there were anything but stupid. My point is not that something is incredibly wrong when this many folks believe fiction to be fact. The point is, what is wrong with being a Muslim? In my jaundiced view, being a Muslim is no different than being a believer in any of the many major or minor organized religions. So, I am appalled that someones actual or supposed religious beliefs are relevant or that it needs to be asked. A civilized society should be past superstition and myth and wholly focused on issues. Who one votes for should be a function of rationale thought, not ignorance, myths, fear or how many Joe the Plumbers or Ralph the Bus Drivers we have as our role models.