Distraction is a Beautiful Thing

In the movie Gladiator, Joaquin Phoenix played Commodus, described in Wikipedia as "a vain, power hungry and sociopathic young man." When told by his father that though next in line for power, he will not wear the crown and that the Senate, a governing body of the people will rule, Joaquin commits patricide. He seizes control of the country, and distracts the masses by re-establishing the Gladiator games, something deemed too barbaric by the father he just displaced.

Today, the Republican majority in Congress voted, almost exclusively along party lines, to de-fund National Public Radio. They will say it is because they are deficit hawks, but this is a lie. Several weeks ago, the very same Republican members of Congress voted to continue funding NASCAR. This means they are at best hypocrites, or at worst outright liars. Sadly, "liars" is the scarlet letter they should be brandished with, for there is an absolute parallel between the fictional Gladiator and the all too real gutting of the nations most important news source.

NASCAR is a distraction; NPR is educational. Every election season, the Republican party runs on an agenda of fear and hatred: Gay people want to marry, and that's sinful! Illegals (read: Mexicans) are taking good (read: White) jobs! The baby Jesus is sad because women want full rights over their own bodies. One reason Republicans despise the Phelps family is because The Westboro Baptist Church says the same things they do, only in a less veiled manner. Republicans have to denounce the Phelps message, because if they don't, people might figure out the content is the same, it's just the words that are different.

So, how do you keep the masses from figuring out such shenanigans? As Gladiator showed us: distraction. You cut the funding for NPR, and in Wisconsin be brazen enough to attack teachers. You take away the avenues with which the public can either be educated or educate themselves, and then you distract them by funding NASCAR. When pretty cars drive in a circle, all is well in the world... don't look behind the curtain; Big Brother will take care of you, all while pointing their finger at the other party and decrying their "autocratic agenda."

If it wasn't so evil, it'd almost have to be respected.

At least one member of Congress gets it.