Coming Soon To Your Kindle: Idiocy

Here in North Platte we have an annual event known as the Town Hall Lecture Series. Four times each year a speaker of some notoriety comes to town for an hour long talk followed by lunch with those who pony up the extra money. Over the years we have had some interesting speakers, such as William Buckley, Art Linkletter, or Dr. Joyce Brothers. We have also had some speakers of less distinguished accomplishment, such as the retired jewel thief or the security guard from a museum.

The other day I overheard one of the members of the selection committee referring to the upcoming season. She mentioned the U.S. Airways flight that landed in the Hudson River. "Wow," I exclaimed, "is Capt. Sullenberger coming?" No, it turns out we cannot afford him. Instead we are getting a guy that was on the plane. He will tell his story of, well, sitting on the plane while someone else landed it in the river and several other people helped get everyone off safely. We will pay him many thousands of dollars for his story of how he happened to buy an airline ticket on a plane that ended up in the Hudson and of how he was there when other people did amazing things.

And immediately I flashbacked to where I did not want to go. Now I do not mean to equate the U.S. Airways gentleman with any of the characters I am about to mention. I am sure he is a fine, upstanding citizen. (well, actually I have no idea whether he is or not. He is certainly an opportunist). But this story reminds me of a sad truth which has recently been played out again in our culture. The way to get noticed, the way to publish a book, the way to get notoriety, is quite often the result of doing some damn fool thing or worse.

I think of Amy Fisher--the Long Island Lolita--whose attempt at murdering her lovers wife led to the publication of her book "My Story".

I think of Monica Lewinsky, whose first book I believe is out of print but her follow-up--and I am not making this up--is still available. It is entitled "Monica Speaks! Genuine Pearls of Wisdom from America's Most Famous White House Intern".

But the worst has to be O.J. Simpson, whose most recent atrocity "If I Did It-Confessions of the Killer" is still available through Amazon. And did you knpw that this book is available as a paperback, hardcover, audio download, audio CD and a Kindle edition?

All of this comes back to me as I watch cable news "journalists" unanimously decry the recent attempt at a health care conversation as "shameless television". The opinion of pretty much everyone seems to be "staged political event" or "Boring". And this from the people who brought us wall to wall coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral.

What has happened to the spiritual, moral, and intellectual life of our nation when any attempt at something as significant as the justice of health care is labeled "boring" and "shameless" while you can download "If I Did It" to your Kindle and be reading it in minutes? What does it mean that we can't even HAVE honest and caring discussions about health, war, economics, justice, etc.
Ok, I know the horse is dead.

But I don't think I will spend forty five dollars to hear someone tell me about how they happened to be on a plane while other people did amazing things. But I will offer you this.

I have survived an earthquake, a tornado, and a blizzard. All in one lifetime. And I will tell you about it for the bargain basement price of five thousand dollars.

Hey, its cheaper than the guy on the plane.