Hell's Geezers On Wheels

It's "Bike Week" on the island. So the town is full of AARP members. It's good I guess, but after awhile the constant revving of Harley Davidsons does get a tad gawdamned annoying, if you catch my drift. I went to one end of the island and found an empty beach to stretch out on. Listening to nothing but the ocean was great. Harleys really do sound like they have a problem with flatulence. The rice burning bikes are no better just different. I hope that term is not offensive to aficionados of Japanese motorcycles, but it probably is.

It is so easy to offend people these days. I am not an especially big admirer of the easily offended. I remember hearing an interview with John Cleese when he was asked whether it concerned him that the movie "Life Of Brian" might offend some people. He responded that he hoped it did. Cleese said he felt some people needed to be offended. Apparently some periodical in France recently published cartoons offensive to some Muslims. Their office was fire bombed (no proof it was by Muslims).

I know that in prewar (WW II) Germany antisemitic cartoons were published in so called humor magazines. I think what matters is intention or maybe attitude. I think it's cool to make fun of people who are too full of themselves but totally uncool to pick on the downtrodden. That's why I don't feel bad at all for making fun of people who are in love with their motorcycles. To me it's just another way people trying to be free and unencumbered wind up being slaves to their possessions. I also think it's okay to make fun of people's conceptions of God. Only people who believe their concept is somehow holy can get offended by this. I have faith but, I know that any concept I have of God is not accurate. How the hell could it be?

I don't believe in my concept of God and I don't believe in yours or anybody elses either! The nicest thing you can do for someone is to help them to quit believing in false idols right? So no matter what it is they have on a pedestal it's probably good to knock it off. But don't be mean about it! Make fun of their car, their Harley, their house, their wardrobe, their God but only if they have it on a pedestal. It's totally classless to disrespect the humble. But it's good to bring down the prideful.

Russell