Sean Hannity Molests Collies

I'm not the first one to say this, but I think it's good for people to say it as much as possible: Right wing radio is really really evil.

Generally, I treat Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and their various derivatives like I do Newark Airport- if I never go there, then they doesn't even exist. However, a recent trip to God's Country, the state of Oregon, brought both of these previously strategically avoided phenomenon squarely to my attention. Let me say I will never bother with Newark airport again. I fear I will not be afforded that luxury when it comes to right wing radio.

It's not that I'm about to start listening to this drivel. But having had some prolonged contact with this stuff, I can now see that no matter how much I ignore these guys, they are not going away; and they do- in their own haughty, arrogant, aggrandized and tragically deluded way- exist.

But, first, what the hell was I doing listening to these schmucks? Well, that's a funny story. Last week I flew to Oregon to spend a week fly fishing with a friend. We had originally planned to go backpacking, but an emergency appendectomy had my friend on restricted orders from his doctor, so we opted for car camping instead of the backpacking trip. It had it's perks- like cold beer and pillows for the tent- but it meant we would spend a lot of time in the car, driving around Southeast Oregon.

What would we listen to? We played a little music, but we both like news radio. However, we were in some very remote country, and the only radio we could get was local color. Now, if you've never been, God's Country is a bit conservative. Slightly right of Attila The Hun. My friend and I found ourselves listening to the local right wing radio, first with novel amusement, then with growing rage, and finally with mixed bewilderment and awe: like watching a cock fight, or a midget toss- you know it is wrong, and it boils your blood, but you are too stunned to look away.

We listened as the recycled feeds of Limbaugh and the rest murdered news stories, inflicted their tortured worldviews on their poor hapless listeners, spewed mindless rhetorical garbage, and basically grabbed humanity by the throat and dragged it down for a death roll, like Paul Hogan wrestling an alligator. To quote Capetown's favorite movie, what I wouldn't give for a giant sock full of manure.

The guys are so obviously the worst type of political hacks that it would be quite easy to dismiss them as lower life forms if people didn't actually listen to them. That's why I know that I can't escape these guys. People actually called in to agree with these idiots! I couldn't believe it. That anyone would agree with the utter nonsense of these characters is a scary comment on this country.

So let me say it loud and clear, and invite you do to the same: Right wing radio is pure evil. Please remember that.

I don't like Newark airport either.