March 13, 1996
Issue
Ready to go
"Does our economic stability require that some ... of the population be kept in poverty?" — Max Frankel in 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 fascination with them. 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 on the little character who 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" was so compelling as I read it that for a moment or two I wanted to be a character in the cartoon as well. I would like to share that imagining with you so that I can lend more clarity to Truth's words. Truth: Why does America hate its kids? Brandon: Because kids are consumers, not voters. America is ruled by its big corporations, not its people. Truth: Our schools are falling apart! Brandon: That is of no interest whatsoever to corporate America. They already have good educations. Truth: The classrooms are overcrowded and the teachers are underpaid. Brandon: Yeah, I know. Of course, if a kid wants to play baseball, football or basketball, and has talent, (s)he would have no less than two coaches who would be making more money than six science teachers put together. Corporations care about those kind of kids. They can sell their wares through them: beer, juice drinks, $200 sneakers, blonde- haired-blue-eyed bulimic women and anything else you can think of that promotes racism and sexism. Truth: We have to learn from textbooks censored so as not to offend the grimmest right-wing Christian sensibilities! Brandon: 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 in a thong bikini. Truth: And educational funding keeps getting cut! Brandon: 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? Brandon: As far as I can tell from this prison cell, it looks like their master plan is to build more prisons. All big US corporations profit from prisons and prisoners. Truth: Kids are going to grow up, you know. Brandon: Hey, they are into "family values" only so long as there are mega-bucks to be made. After all, they help make dysfunctional families. Dysfunctional families will buy anything. They do not care about kids. Truth: Why aren't they planning for the future? Brandon: Trust me: they are. I think Newt is about to answer your questions. Go ahead Newt, tell us what the real deal is. Newt: 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. His childhood autobiography is available in booklet form for $16, including postage. Every cent raised will go towards defending his life. Please make cheques payable to the Brandon Astor Jones Defence Account and post to 10 Palara Place, Dee Why NSW 2099. Donations to the Brandon Astor Jones Defence Account may be made at any Commonwealth Bank, account No. 2127 1003 7638.]