I’ve been one of those behind the scenes collecting articles, doing research and writing short pieces in an attempt to educate my fellow Americans about the giant blood-sucking squid that’s draining the life out of our democracy.  But I’ve finally realized that “educating” voters is a fool’s errand so long as they prefer to be alternately entertained with patriotic ego boosters and scared shitless by the big bad wolf.

Two things in today’s (Saturday’s) Post Dispatch summed up just how crazy our society has become (maybe it’s really the fluoride after all.)

1.  

Texas law: People now have to go through a metal detector to enter the Texas Capitol, but under state law, those with permits do not have to surrender their firearms.

    No comment needed on that one !

2.  In his review of a speaker in the Darwin series at the St. Louis Science Center, religion reporter Tim Townsend felt it necessary to call Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-O’Fallon) for her expert opinion on Darwin’s theory of evolution.  As always, Cyndi was able to put the whole “controversy” in perspective in her own succinct way. “Evolution is based in atheism.”   There you go.  Nice and simple, easy to remember, likely to infuriate and oh, so, effective.  So why bother trying to “educate” people about Charles Darwin, his life’s work, theories and accomplishments?  When newspapers feel an obligation to consult idiots like Cynthia Davis when there are probably 3,000 other people in the St. Louis area better equipped to understand a topic, we are doomed.

Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford (D-St. Louis) hit the nail on the head in the letter section of the paper.  The media is not interested in covering bills that they know haven’t a chance of passing in a Republican controlled legislature.  So there is no public information out there that might stimulate a public debate.  It’s a Catch-22.  No chance of passing, so no need to educate the public about it.  And so the  giant squid tightens its grip on the pitiful remains of what was evolving into a rational society.