Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Gore Vidal: Still a Thorn in the Side of Convention

The November 7th issue of The Advocate contains a short but typically pithy interview with literary icon Gore Vidal. Of course Vidal was immortalized by Ernestine the Telephone Operator in the classic variety show "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in" as "MMMMMM Mister Veedal". Still a thorn in the side of all who profess to be conservative, he offers some biting and perceptive commentary.

Unfortunately, the interview is not online so go buy a copy or read at your library. Here is a sample:

Advocate: Why is the American Public so Ignorant?
Vidal: The god awful public education system. They don't really learn much of anything and seem to have built in resistance to finding out. People graduate from High School and know nothing about the New Deal,don't know about the Depression. Teachers are underpaid, terrorized by school boards, by public opinion, spied upon to see if they are distributing ideas that are "not acceptable" to the far right wing and to Lord Jesus. Come on, this is the most ignorant public of any First World country."

Preach it MMMMMMMM Mr. Veedal!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Though, oddly enough, most conservatives see the public schools as a tool of liberal indoctrination...