Here, there be wisdom

[autographedcat]

Garrison Keillor writes about our values:

This is Democratic bedrock: we don't let people lie in the ditch and drive past and pretend not to see them dying. Here on the frozen tundra of Minnesota, if your neighbor's car won't start, you put on your parka and get the jumper cables out and deliver the Sacred Spark that starts their car. Everybody knows this. The logical extension of this spirit is social welfare and the myriad government programs with long dry names all very uninteresting to you until you suddenly need one and then you turn into a Democrat. A liberal is a conservative who's been through treatment.

(thanks to filkertom for the link)

Comments

[bercilakslady.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this.

I am _so_ like this:

[p-o-u-n-c-e-r.livejournal.com]

Page 15 of of Keillor's book he describes the Republican Party's 'hairy-backed swamp developers and corporate shills, faith-based economists, see-through fundamentalist bullies with Bibles, Christians of convenience, freelance racists, hobby cops, misanthropic frat boys, lizardskin cigar monkeys, jerktown romeos, ninja dittoheads, the shrieking midgets of AM radio, tax cheats, cheese merchants, cat stranglers, taxi dancers, grab-ass executives, gun fetishists, genteel pornographers, pill pushers, chronic nappers, nihilists in golf pants, backed-up Baptists, Crips and Bloods of the boardroom.'"

Hate speech is illegal. Keillor is law-abiding. Therefore, this is "tough"love speech.

Like Michael Moore's.

If I may address the man indirectly:

We love you too, Garrison. My check to the local NPR affiliate goes out this week same as usual.

My favorite of your show themes is the "joke show". My favorite of your recurring guests is Paula Poundstone.

My favorite of your books is We are still married ... which I have not read. I admire it for the irony of the title...

[shanaeden.livejournal.com]

I know you'll disagree with half (only half!) of what I have to say to this...and I love debate but I'm just not in the mood right now :) So I comment with: This is an awesome find. I love Garrison Keillor and now I love him more. Wisdom indeed. And to only tease and hint about the half you and I would get into a lively debate on: if only many of our government programs could help more people and be less wasteful, inefficient, and not in touch.