WHAT AMERICAN IDOL TAUGHT ME

Let's not dwell on the fact that a seemingly manly truck driver such as myself was watching American Idol tonight. Let's just say that my wife is a fan, and I was killing time until "South Park" came on. Admittedly, I do like the premise of a national talent show that showcases one's vocal talent, adaptability and showmanship skills. It almost seems like something that you might have seen on TV back when our nation had a shred of cultural integrity. I actually started to look at "Idol" as a welcome distraction from the world of politics. Just when I was ready to join the club and become a fan, "American Idol Gives Back" aired.
Leave it to TV executives to take a simple, subjective concept such as a talent show, and turn it into a primer on liberal philosophy.

Here's what I learned. Apparently, in Africa the mosquitoes that cause malaria only bite people when they are in a bed. I watched Forest Whitaker talk about the importance of donating $10.00 to cover the cost of a bed net to fight malaria. Had I not seen his commentary, I would have gone on with my life thinking of him a talented actor. Now, I see him as just another gullible Hollywood pawn.
If Forest had given this issue some thought, he would have been asking people to donate money for the purchase of DDT spraying equipment. He would have also asked for money to fund the draining of swamps and areas of stagnate water where mosquitoes live and breed. As if this weren't enough, the Priminster of England proudly announced his donation of nets on the show as well.
Environmentalists around the globe have successfully banned the use of DDT and similar products that kill the mosquitoes that spread disease. This was done because these pesticides are supposedly "linked" to health problems in humans and animals. The last time I checked, malaria was considered a "health problem". Can you spot the irony?

I then learned that the cure for AIDS is cash. Here all this time, I thought the cure for AIDS was to not get it in the first place. Considering the amount of tax-payer cash that has been streaming into Africa and other third world countries to stop AIDS, I figure just about everyone down there should be cured by now.

One of my favorite liberalisms is the policy of throwing money (other people's money) at a problem. Let's not do something about the dictators and drug lords that are actually causing the poverty and death. Instead, let's write a bunch of checks that will in all likelihood end up in the hands of these same dictators and drug lords. Let's not actually kill the cause of the disease, let's spend a lot of money on something that has no effect at all on it.

Hey Africa! Here's your net. And oh yeah, stay in bed.