Hard to Believe

THE ABSURD TIMES

This is Hard to Believe

By

Czar Donic

(Or why one more edition.)

This was put out by Move On, and is probably underestimating the problem. However, it is a good place to start. Politicians have been telling us that we do not need the “Medicare for All” type healthcare because most people prefer the healthcare benefits they get with their jobs. Once fired (or we use the term "laid off”), they loose that healthcare. Still, we are also told that such healthcare is SOCIALIST and Pol Pot was a socialist.  People believe that.

Now, what they do not know is that the original leader of Cambodia, Prince Sianook (or however it’s spelt), would not let us into his country to continue with Viet Nam. Nixon’s "plan" to end the war included invading Cambodia and, with the help of Henry Kissinger, depose the guy. Eventually, this Pol Pot took over, so a Republican administration put him into power.

I had a patient once who eventually told me about his activities in Cambodia. He also told me that if he did tell me, he would be killed and so would I. He was captured and tortured. He said that the pulling out of his toenails and fingernails was the worse, but not the only part. Obviously, he suffered from PTSD and he used drinking to deal with it. He eventually shot himself in the head.  I have not yet been killed, but if they want to kill me, I’m available. Just so everyone remembers that it was a Republican administration.

Still, rest easy. Universal healthcare will not require your nails to be pulled. (Not even in the South.)

These are from Carlos Latuff, inspired by the fact that he noticed both Google and Apple have eliminated Palestine from their maps.  I once had fun with the fact that some Israeli lobby ranked him the third most "anti-Semitic" entity in the world. I thought he should be proud as ranking fourth was "European Football Fans". Now imagine how many European football fans there are. The number is in the millions, yet Latuff managed to beat all of them! In other world, one of the top three in the world, and being in the top three of anything is quite an achievement. (No, I do not remember the organization, but who cares?)

Now, why did I announce that I had nothing more to say?

It got too easy. Where is the challenge in finding the absurd in Trump’s actions?

For example, Trump has talked to Roger Stone more in the last few months than to Dr. Fauci.  Why? Easy, Fauci lacks a tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back. Ask a silly question, … .

In the UK people carry signs saying: ALL AMERICANS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT. 

Bill Kristol and George Will have been making sense lately. That is how low we have sunk. I must admit, however, that George Will was always correct in his pronouncements concerning Baseball, especially Chicago baseball. 

A poll result recently revealed that 3 our of every 4 Americans trusted Fauci rather than Trump on pandemics. That scared me because I wondered where they found the fourth guy. Under some rocks, I suppose? How is that possible? It doesn’t make any sense to me.

Remember Trump announced that he was the “Least racist person in the world” and also a “very stable genius.” He took a cognitive test and said that the doctors were amazed. At what?

The new rule is that all facts about the pandemic be sent to the government, and bypass the CDC. The CDC publishes it’s data.

Florida had more deaths in one day from the disease than Germany, the UK, and Japan, collectively, all in one day. Of course the Governor is a Republican.

The Mayor of Atlanta made mask wearing mandatory and the governor is suing her for that. He is a Republican.

And where is Antifa when we need them? Trump has invaded Portland Oregon with soldiers wearing camouflage outfits and they are well armed. Is this the work of the Secretary of Education's brother? Or is he using federal troops? Sieg Heil, Trump.

Well, I suppose there is nothing more to say, but I am reminded of an exchange in the movie Casablanca.  Some Nazis are questioning the saloon owner Rick about the German advances. Finally, they get to the point of Germany invading the United States. At that point, Rick warns that there are “a few neighborhoods in New York” that they might be advised to avoid. When Trump was talking about perhaps invading Chicago, that exchange immediately came to mind as there are some areas of Chicago even I was careful to avoid. In fact, one seemed to develop a sixth sense about even crossing certain streets into what would be an entirely different neighborhood. Now, I am sure that the exact neighborhoods have not remained the same geographically, but they certainly do exist. Then there are the Chicago Cops to contend with as well. They will take their lead from the Mayor (whether they like her or not) and if she orders, as did Dick Daley once “To shoot to maim or kill,” you can count on them to so. 

To be sure, Barack Obama or any other member of past administrations would give the same opinion. Still, Donald, if you are ready to Rumble, there is a place that will give you a good contest.

Trump, Chicago, Cubs, God

THE ABSURD TIMES

Our Media, Above

More Absurdity Abounds

By

Czar Donic, ed.

I know I promised no more on this election, I know; however, this is the Absurd Times and where better?  It is our responsibility to cover the absurd, and nowhere is it more prevalent than here.

Above you see the monopoly on information distribution in the U.S.  See, we do not believe in Government control of the media.  Well, actually, since these corporations do own the government, perhaps we do, but at least we are not like Russian, eh?  Or Egypt?  No.  We believe in a free press.  As free as possible so long as it makes money.

So why is the election covered in such depth on U.S. media?  Because it is free programming, that's why.  Same with Egypt Air.  They do not have to pay royalties to the political candidates and they can charge the same for commercials.  In fact, they even charge the candidates for the commercials on top of it all.

Therefore, we hear little about the fascism or National Socialism growing in Ukraine.  Say what?  You never heard of it?  Well, of course not.  Who is going to watch that when we have Donald Trump to see and hear?  Never mind the few who would rather see a rerun of Barney Miller than pay any attention to Donald Trump.  There are many more who are so ill-informed that they will listen to and believe anything he says.

Now he is dragging up the suicide of Vince Foster, someone Hillary Clinton may have had killed while she was first lady.  Obama said that after that, Donald will turn his "attention to important things such as uncovering the moon landing fake.  Now that is a good and funny line, but then Obama spent 10 years in Chicago so he has a sense of humor. 

How do I know?  Believe me, everyone who has spent that much time in Chicago has a sense of humor or else has relocated.  This is the place that predicts the Cub's winning the World Series of Baseball every year.  The last time that happened, man invented the flying machine, later called the airplane.  Once, the Cubs made it to the World Series, but a goat cursed them and they lost.  Say what?  You don't believe that?  Well, think about this: a few years running Cubs fans went to Arizona (spring training) and sacrificed goats.  See, the reasoning was that if they killed enough goats, the Cubs would win.  Right.  You don't believe that?  Well, you haven't lived 10 years in Chicago, then.

Recent news is about Albuquerque, New Mexico where people rioted outside his rally.   Well, everyone has forgotten about when he wanted to hold a rally in Chicago.  Essentially, Chicago told him "Forgeddabout it! Outta here! No way!"  Trump stayed away.  Chicken.  Was it because of good taste?  Nope.  Trump claims to be a Republican and probably is as he is nearly as insane as his fans and Republicans do not fare well in Chicago.  That's all.

Crimea?  Remember that? The descendants of Genghis Kahn? Actually, they are much better off now, although one was victorious in the Eurovision contest with a song about her grandmother being persecuted by Stalin.  Any Fans of Stalin out there? 

So it was time today to check out a Donald Trump speech.  Sort of like expecting a Cubs victory?  First, some person introduced him at length and finished with "God bless America!"  He said it as if it were an order, a command.  Assuming there is a God, and wondering if there is one why is there a Trump, it leaves questions as to whether God follows orders.

As Trump was speaking, I was reminded very much of when I spent some time writing satire.  It was all extemporary, and one was on a very boring sports announcer named Bob Elson.  The trouble with that is that boring is very difficult to make funny, and so it soon shifted to a satire on the host of a radio talk show host who was popular.  Now the best thing the Cubs ever had was a radio play by play announcer named Jack Quinlin.  In fact, he was so good that he won the award for best announcer five years straight.  All such announcers are employees of the team and the Cubs moved him from a 5,000 watt station to a 50,000 clear-channel station that at night could be heard from the East coast to the Rockey mountains.  In traditional Cubs fashion, he died in a car crash before the sixth season.  No, it wasn't him. 

The person in mind was called Jack Eigen, a guy who was full of himself.  We wanted to name him Jack Ego, but Mike Nichols beat us to it and nobody could top Mike Nichols, so it remained Bob Elson.  Elson, during the 60s, would give long monologues on Luke Appling while the game was in progress.  This was, indeed, on the radio.  The satire took the form of Hockey interviews thinly disguising the names of the players. 

So, Trump's speech, what I could tolerate of it, was like Jack Ego reincarnated.  The choice the above corporations will leave the U.S. with is Trump or Hillary Clinton.  They complain that he will not concede and give up, but he is actually a politician who has constructive ideas, a rarity in American politics.

So, how about Israel?  Israel is Jack Eigen.  The Kennedy administration made it a law that all radios manufactured in the U.S. (yes, they once were) had the receive both AM and FM stations.  The remedy for Israel is not a simple, but individuals can chose not to contribute by not purchasing anything from which it profits.  Other postings indicate how to do this.

Das ist alles fÜr Heute.

Erdogan, Terrorism, Trump, Chicago and Stuff

THE ABSURD TIMES

 

Ilustration: more about Erdogan attacking Latuff, making Latuff once again the hero of the political cartoonists.

Erdogan, Terrorism, Trump, Chicago and Stuff

By

Honest Charlie

There is simply so much that is going on, or sent on, that it seemed pointless to publish as it is so obvious, but it seems that it is not.  So, here it is, a great public service. 

Some deranged moron shot up a Planned Parenthood clinic and is now on trial, or at least in the judicial system.  As he appeared, he had a wild grin and bulging eyes and kept shouting "I'm guilty! Say it! And add that I saved babies.  Get it all out."  He was sent to a mental institution for evaluation. 

Speaking of mass shootings, there was one in California, near Riverside.  The neighbor, Marquez, immediately checked himself into a looney bin too.  As to the others, you can't avoid seeing them on endless coverage on BREAKING NEWS (for a week now) and the analysis starts.

The Republican Congress immediately snapped into action.  Had the fiancé, Tashfeen, been asked if she has terrorist leanings at her interview?  Now this is key as any terrorist would immediately confess and say "Yes, I'm going there to carry out a terrorist mission and have a baby, not in that order."  See, these terrorists are easy to spot.  Just ask them and they will wilt under the pressure and confess. 

Of course, Donald Trump, a confessed Republican, has announced that all Moslems should be denied entry into the country, the U.S.  Well, how would you know they were terrorists?  This was answered by his female in charge of publicity "Check the passports."  Well, it is not on the passport.  "Well, it should be," was the answer.  Donald Trump is coming to represent the American public in the eyes of the world.

Now the Speaker of the House, third in line, second if you start from the Vice President, immediately condemned this kind of talk.  However, it seems very suspicious coming from his as he wears a beard.  Moslems wear beards, we all know. 

James Comey, head of the FBI, and regarded the best Director since L. Patrick Grey, says encryption is the reason they can't keep track or terrorists.  See, they use "mathematical algorithms," to hide things.  Now mathematical algorithms are the worse kind, even worse than chemical or biological algorithms.  Maybe they could handle a historical algorithm, but a mathematical algorithm, no way.  In fact, most people don't know what an algorithm is, much less than dispute him.  In fact, an algorithm is not a program or an app, and most plots are planned face to face (or so I hear, of course I wouldn't know, nope, not me -- why I don't even like Ohms).

To the eyes to the world: Donald Trump's main appeal is to white people with a high school degree or less.  Now the schools here are nothing to boast about, and the K-12 levels are meaningless.  In sum, these people are morons and idiots. 

On the other hand, a real smart guy is running against him, Ted Cruz.  He says that Trump's popularity will fall.  Why? Gravity, that's how.  We all know gravity.  He's talking Newtonian gravity, I'm sure, not some new-fangled space war, nope, good old fashioned God-given gravity.  We have never started the rumor that he keeps a stash of pornographic Bibles in his office, to be sure.

Some may have heard about the Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Israel Emmanuel.  There are large demonstrations demanding his resignations, a multi-racial movement, and the people are wise as they are demonstrating on Michigan Avenue where all the rich people shop and own businesses.  This are, of course, provides Rahm's main support.

There is no point in trying to talk to him.  He will communicate in person unlike other professional politicians, but you have to say "fuck" a lot and lace it with other interjections or he will not take you seriously.  He will talk back in kind, and then say "Shut yer fuckin' mouth," and move on.  But at least it's a conversation.

We finally found out what Nancy Reagan meant when her solution to the drug problem was "just say NO"  NO is nitrous oxide, the stuff dentists use.  Non-addictive, I understand, and a lot of fun.

 

Chicago, Mass Murders, Erdoggan

THE ABSURD TIMES

Illustration: Emperor would be Erdogan said that he felt bad about the dead Russian pilot.  Putin said that anyone who attacks a Russian will suffer more than a ban on tomatoes.  (I lost the one with the crocodile tears, sorry).

Chicago and Stuff

by

Richard Morrison, Posthumously

We told you awhile ago that Rod Blagoyevitch fit in perfectly with Chicago morality, but some didn't believe me.  So ... .

There has been a lot of talk lately about the Chicago killing of black teenager, erased video, and a fired police chief.  There is more to it than that, of course, and there are now clamors for the Mayor to be fired.  Well, it just doesn't work that way in Chicago.  We have to understand a bit of Chicago history to follow this.   

This is what Wikipedia has to say about a police scandal in Chicago's past of police scandals, followed by an interview with an old friend I contacted who was there at the time.  He spoke under condition of anonymity as he still thinks he might have family near there:

Summerdale scandals[edit]

The Chicago Police Department did not face large-scale reorganization efforts until 1960 under Mayor Richard J. Daley. That year, eight officers from the Summerdale police district on Chicago's North Side were accused of operating a large-scale burglary ring. The Summerdale case dominated the local press, and became the biggest police-related scandal in the city's history at the time. Mayor Daley appointed a committee to make recommendations for improvements to the police department. The action resulted in the creation of a five-member board charged with nominating a superintendent to be the chief authority over police officers, enacting rules and regulations governing the police system, submitting budget requests to the city council, and overseeing disciplinary cases involving officers.^[8] Criminologist O.W. Wilson was brought on as Superintendent of Police, and served until 1967 when he retired.^[9]

So much for the background.  It really doesn't touch the real story, as usual.  At one time there was a cop in Chicago who really did his job, giving parking tickets to anyone, the Mayor, ambulances, anything anywhere that wasn't moving.  His name was Jack Muller. 

But this isn't about Jack Muller.  It starts with my contacting a friend who was there personally for much of the action.  I called him yesterday.

"Hiya, there."

"Yeah, it's me.  Shoot."

"Well, I just wanted to be able to put out there what really happened around the Summerdale district.  Just tell me what you know."

"Keep my name outta it, ya hear?

"No problem, nobody anywhere else gives a damn anyway."

"Ok, so I was living on Damon, not far from Foster Avenue, right across from Winnemac Park, not far from where Amundson High school used to be."

"Used to."

"Yeah, dey made it some sorta College, but ya ask me dey still try ta teach da same stuff, you know, books and shit like dat."

I replied, "Ok, so then what?"

"Well dey prosecuted dis guy named Morrison fer burglary and he squealed [sniched] on da caps dat worked wid him. [I'm continuing in English as to make things a bit more clear]  Sure enough, they found all the stuff stored in the basement of the Summerdale Police station."

"Wow, what happened with that?"

"Well, we knew that they caught him at the back of Polk Brothers [at the time, a Chicago only predecessor of Walmart].  So, we kids got together and we were only a few blocks away, so we put up a sign one night in front of the station on Foster Avenue saying "POLKS PRICES ARE OUR PRICES," and the sign went down fast."

I asked, "Then what happened?"

"Well, they hired this guy outta California so we knew he was a nut job and they made him commissioner.  Actually Hizzoner, Daley did.  I think he was sorry to miss his firend of 30 years, but politics is politics, right?"

"Right."

"So, then I'm working at the Police department downtown, yeah, 1121 State Street, and I'm going though the card on arrests.  It's like a year or two later and Morrison turned states evidence.  On his card, or record, there were at least 24 arrests, mainly burglary, but also a couple rapes, and all were dismissed.  Only the Summerdale thing was prosecuted and then all shit broke out."

"And?"

"Well, I takes the card to show to the Lieutenant and says 'hey, look Morrison! Lookit all the arrests and nothing done about it!!'" 

"And?"

"Then he looks at me pretty damn angry and said "Morrison? I thought he was dead.  Well, that meant to me to shut my mouth and the next day Morrison is shot while leaving the Courthouse."

"Whew, how's you feel?"

"Like I fucking killed him myself, what do you think?"

"Really?"

"Sure, if you told someone that would you expect him to go out and kill him?"

"Well, considering it was a cop in Chicago, yes."

"Dummy."

Well, I had finally gotten ahold of him, so I asked him about all the mass shootings lately and what he thought, maybe gun control?

"Screw that.  These guys are so in love with there guns and afraid of big government? Lets just shut down all the food stamp programs, issue everyone an ak-47, and let them get their own food."

At this point, the phone was disconnected.

 I guess some people remember the Civil Rights Leader Martin Luthur King meeting with Daley after the Chicago Riots.  They talked for awhile and Daley did carry out one of MLK's proposals: turn the water back on.  See, the riots started when he had them turned off in the middle of summer.  Well, forget about all the liberal stuff, Daley did like the water idea.  Why, he had a whole lake full right down the street.   He also sent CTA buses into the neighborhoods and bussed the black kids down to the lake.  They were the wettest minority group in the United States.

I once met the leader of my high-school gangs about 2 years after graduation.  After much ado, he managed a "D" average.  I was asking him about what happened with some of his old gang members.  Many of them had joined the police force.

About this time, I met a Disk Jockey named Dan Sorkin.  He was a Lenny Bruce fan and kept playing his records saying "That was Lenny Bruce, now playing at the 1121 Club on State street." He would also play the theme from "Dudly do-right" before and after the police traffic reports.  At his apartment he hung a sign outside that said "FUCK COMMUNISM".   That confused Daley who didn't like to be confused so he forbade any Lenny Bruce records and told the engineer that if he allowed any such records to be played, he would be fired.  Sorkin left for San Francisco where he became a legend.

In 1968, the police, after Orlando Wilson was gone, went wild.  However, the world had moved from Beat to Hip and was no longer interesting, but still funny.  The police riot led to a trial with William Kunstler and a host of stars, some friends, while our attentions turned to the 15th and 16th Centuries.  I was just reminded of it the other day when an episode of Scorpion Contained the exchange:

"I am the police.  You know what that means?"

"You had a "D" average in High School?"

That gang leader I mentioned managed to graduate last in the class, to wild applause.

Mass Murders

I had wanted to document all 350* Mass murders here, but it is a long list.  I'm giving you a link and you can try to get through.  It has been very busy lately.  I'll put it up later on as I've saved it for later.

http://shootingtracker.com/wiki/Mass_Shootings_in_2015

Ukraine, Califate, Satire

THE ABSURD TIMES

Yes, as Carlos points out, Ukraine was sold to the lowest bidder and they don't know it yet.  Now they have the same opportunities as all the other E
U Countries, almost, and at least austerity, which will sound good to them.  They deserve it.  They will be led down the path by the man they call "The Candy Man."

Another by the Great Carlos Latuff.  Essentially, he says "Keep it up, but leave my oil alone."  One of the great mysteries of recent times has been how our iol got under their land.

Now, we have not been publishing for awhile.  The reason is simple -- we no longer give a shit.  However, we did look into the Caliphate issue for you as the networks haven't covered it as the soccer matches have been going on.  Essentially, Obama has done so much to encourage the terrorists in Syria, funded by the rich gulf states, that they have branched out as ISIS, then ISIL, and now the Emirate.   All Moslems are to sear allegiance to their leader, whose name is hard to spell.

Anyway, the Emirate is supposed to grow.   First to include all the known Islamic world, then all the world.  I wasn't so sure about this, so I figured that if the Emirate will cover the world,  it will eventually get to Chicago.  So I called an old friend in Chicago who gave me the number of another Chicagoan a third generation Moslem, what he though about it.  Here is a transcript of that interview"

Q. Hello?

A. Yeah, waddya want?  Whosdis?

Q. This is the Absurd Times, and we got your number from a friend [identified here] who though you might give us your idea of the Emerite.

A. Yeah? Waddy wanna know?

Q/ Well, the first things is are you in favor or against?

A. Ah, dats right.  It's ok, so long as I get ta be da big cheese, da Boss.  So yeah, like da idea.

Q. But someone has also already said he is the leader.

A. Nah, no way.  I'm older dan him, sos hes gotta respek his elders, see?

Q. I see.  So, I suppose you'd have your headquarters in the Willis Building, or the Old Sears Towers?

A. Nope.

Q. Oh.

A. Iz dat all?

Q. No, can I print your name here for our readers?

A. Yeah, its Laith al Kouri Kakka nur Kallifi bin Farook al Numr abu Baghdadi Tiki.

Q. Er, could you say that once more?

A. He no, ya dumb fuck, waddya tink I'm here fer?  I'm dad Calif.

Q. Very well, so where will you have your headquarters.

A. I'm tinkin dat Tel Aviv.

Q. But that's in Israel.

A. Naw -- Part a da Caliphate.

Q. I mean they are Jewish there.

A. Nah -- deys all gatta become Moslem.

Q. What if they dont want to.

A. Well make em.

Q. You're talking about another Holocaust?

A. Hall's a wat?

Q. I mean, they will bring up the Holocaust.

A. Oh, I against dat.  Don't like da Holocaust.

Well, there you have it.  The next Calif is totally against the Holocaust.

Obama is asking to $500 million to send to Assad's enemies. 

The Supreme Court has decided that corporations have religious rights.  Of course, it has always been against the corporate religion to pay taxes.

And you wonder why we haven't bothered lately?

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014

Egyptian Comedian Bassem Youssef Says His Satire Has Inspired Youth to Reject Military Propaganda

In a development many are linking to the Egyptian regime’s crackdown on dissent, Egypt’s most popular satirist announced this month that he was taking his program off the air. Bassem Youssef’s broadcast had been compared to Jon Stewart’s "The Daily Show" for its comedic take on politics in Egypt and the Middle East. The show was incredibly popular — reaching as many as 30 million views per episode. Youssef said he was ending his program rather than face censorship and threats on his life. Yousef was vague on the pressure he has faced, but suggested the military regime has made it impossible for him to continue. Speaking at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum, Youssef said his decision to suspend the show could be seen as a new beginning. "We have inspired a whole generation to go out there and express themselves in their own way," Youssef says. "Satire and comedy might be one of the few antidotes against fear. It liberates your mind. It sets your judgment free. That is why it is a threat."

TRANSCRIPT

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: In a development many are linking to the Egyptian regime’s crackdown on dissent, Egypt’s most popular satirist announced earlier this month he’s taking his program off the air, just days after General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was elected president. Bassem Youssef’s broadcast has been compared to Jon Stewart’sThe Daily Show for its comedic take on politics in Egypt and the Middle East. The show was incredibly popular, reaching as many as 30 million views per episode. Bassem Youssef said he was ending his program rather than face censorship and threats on his life. Youssef was vague on the pressure he has faced but suggested that the military regime has made it impossible for him to continue. Earlier today, Bassem Youssef, who is a heart surgeon by training, spoke here at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum.

BASSEM YOUSSEF: Fear sells. Fear works. Fear makes you get away with anything. And when people are afraid, they will not accept logic, let alone satire. Fear can drive the masses. Fear can turn them into ruthless organisms devoid of human mercy and intellectual logic. Fear can drive humans to give up their best-ever given trait: humanity. Under fear, they accept taking away the right to object, to oppose, and even applaud taking away other people’s rights. Under fear, fascism becomes coveted, and "human rights" becomes an indecent word.

Our job was to expose those irrational fears, to dissect through the unfair use of such human basic instinct in order to give up basic human rights and needs. This might sound strange, but again, let me remind you that fear sells, fear delivers. Fear is much, much more stronger. Fear might be the greatest mover of masses ever. You have experienced this during your history. The world has experienced Nazism, fascism, McCarthyism. All were movements that used fears and phobia and empty, vicious rhetoric in order to control the masses.

Sixty years later, those techniques are still valid. We saw how the most advanced democratic countries used fear to drag the whole world into war, like the Bush years in America. Their main weapon was not state-of-the-art aircraft carriers or stealth fighters, but good old national scare fear. Fear is the favorite weapon of all—democratic countries, autocratic countries, religious states and terrorist groups. It’s the favorite brand of all. Fear sells. Fear works. Fear is a winner.

Satire and comedy might be one of the very few antidotes against fear. It liberates your minds. It sets your judgment free. And that is why it is a threat. And that is why people who use satire will be alienated, marginalized or even scared off. It doesn’t matter if it was a government who thinks that they are closer to God than you or a regime that believes that they are more patriotic than you. You, as a satirist, has no place in the world. It is a world where fascism is celebrated and where fear rules. But satire comes to disrupt such an equation, because when you laugh, you cannot be afraid anymore, because—and thus the system will make sure to eliminate that powerful weapon of laughter, in order for fear to set in.

But maybe there is a small beacon of hope. Maybe change will come from the most unexpected places. The world today is a young world. Youth are connected now more than ever. The Internet and the open skies offers an opportunity that was not there many years ago, when regimes can get away with anything. When we started on the Internet three years ago, we might be the—at that time, the only one in our country who did that with such a unique idea and format, but now the Internet is full of young people coming up every single day to combat fear, intimidation and media deception. We were too big to be allowed to continue, but by the time we were banned, the change has already happened. Stopping the show might be viewed as a sad ending, but we would like to look at it as a new beginning. We have inspired a whole generation to go out there and express themselves in their own way.

The old techniques of the '40s and ’50s won't cut it with those youngsters. The propaganda that worked for their parents’ generation won’t be able to control them anymore. The plethora of fascism that plagues certain regions on the planet right now is only a temporary and transient moment of time that will be soon washed away by the upcoming generation. Fascism now is overwhelming, that you might think that the long-coveted freedom is stillborn. But that is not true. As Bevan once said, "Fascism is not a new order of society. It is the future refusing to be born." But I tell you that the future is already here. It is just warming up. So fear might sell. Fear might work. Fear might win. But it will eventually face its defeat. And the battlefield for that glorious victory will be no other than the hearts and minds of vibrant, inspired young people who will not give in to fear.

AMY GOODMAN: That’s Bassem Youssef, Egypt’s most popular satirist, speaking here at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany. The Committee to Protect Journalists awarded Bassem Youssef the International Press Freedom Award in 2013. He received the award from Jon Stewart of The Daily Show, the comedian to whom he’s most frequently compared in Egypt.

And that does it for today’s broadcast. I’ll be speaking tomorrow morning at the Deutsche Welle Media Forum here in Bonn, as well on—later in the week, I’ll be speaking in Visby, Sweden. I’ll be speaking at the Church of Sweden on the island of Gotland. You can check democracynow.org for details.

Happy birthday to Isis Phillips.

Democracy Now! has two job openings. We have a job opening for an administrative director, as well as a Linux systems administrator, and fall internships. Visitdemocracynow.org/jobs for more information.

---

The original content of this program is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Please attribute legal copies of this work to democracynow.org. Some of the work(s) that this program incorporates, however, may be separately licensed. For further information or additional permissions, contact us.

-->