Looking out: Making mega-bucks from 'family values'

Does our economic stability require that some ... of the population be kept in poverty? — Max Frankel on "What the Poor Deserve", the New York Times. I saw a very poignant cartoon recently. It was a nine frame panel by Matt Groening. He uses the same two characters most of the time. I have never quite figured out what they are, but I must admit to a certain degree of child-like fascination with them. In this particular panel one of the characters is smartly dressed in a suit and tie. He has two bear-like ears and in all nine frames appears to be looking down upon the little character that is asking the questions. It is about time that I gave them names. I think I will call the suited-character "Newt". The other character has only one ear and it is twice as long. It is situated in the middle of the little character's head. I will call him "Truth". The content of Groening's "Life in Hell" (Atlanta Journal/ Atlanta Constitutions, November 3) was so compelling that for a moment I too wanted to be a character in the cartoon. I would like to share my imaginings with you so that I can lend more clarity to "Truth's" questions. Truth: Why does America hate its kids? Bran' : Because kids are consumers, not voters. America is ruled by its big corporations ... not its people. Truth: Our schools are falling apart! Bran': That is of no interest what-so-ever to corporate America. You see, they already have good educations. Truth: The classrooms are overcrowded and the teachers are underpaid. Bran': Yeah, I know. Of course, if a kid wants to play baseball, football or basketball — and had talent — (s)he would have no less than two coaches who would be making more money than any six science teachers put together. Corporations care about those kind of kids. They can sell their wares through them. You know what I mean: beer, sports-juice drinks, US$200 sneakers, blonde hair, blue-eyed bulimic women, and anything else you can think of that promotes racism and sexism. Truth: We have to learn from text books censored so as to not offend the grimmest right-wing Christian sensibilities! Bran': Yeah, most of those right-wingers live in states of perpetual hypocrisy. They ban the classics from your school's library because of "lurid content", but at a football game they think it is fine for television cameras to zoom in on a woman's crotch while she plays beach volley ball. Truth: And educational funding keeps getting cut! Bran': Well, try to remember that Newt is both the flunkey and point-man for the corporate world. It is all about profits and down-sizing — not education. Truth: What's the logic behind cutting school breakfast programs for the poor, or cutting aid to kids with disabilities? Bran': Well, as far as I can tell from this prison cell, it looks like their master plan is to build more prisons. All big American corporations profit from prison and prisoners: Telephone companies, textile mills, steel mills. The list is endless! Truth: Kids are going to grow up, you know. Bran': Hey, they are into "family values" only as long as there are a few mega-bucks to be made. After all, they help create dysfunctional families. Dysfunctional families will buy anything. They do not care about kids. Truth: Why aren't they planning for the future? Bran': Trust me. They are. I think Newt is about to answer your questions — go ahead Newt, tell us what the real deal is. Newt: Don't worry, by the time you and your little buddies drop out of high school, we'll have your prison cells built and ready to go.
[The writer is a prisoner on death row in the United States. He is happy to receive letters commenting on his columns. He can be written to at: Brandon Astor Jones, EF-122216, G2-51, GD&CC, PO Box 3877, Jackson, GA 30233, USA.]