TAKE THE COMEDIANS SERIOUSLY

Nothing clears the mind and encourages ideas like a good vacation. Consequently, as I spend my vacation in Maui, Hawaii my mind is clear and new ideas are emerging. The brouhaha over the testimony of Stephen Colbert from Comedy Central in the United States Congress is worth reflecting on. Over the course of history comedians have offered some of the most enduring commentary on politics and culture that probably exists. Although, they many time took the form of playwrights they none the less drove home the thoughts and many times the truth that lay out there out of the reach of the self-righteous pontificators. Shakespeare was one to make a point from time to time. But, in my opinion, none make it better than Mark Twain, and Will Rogers. Who can ever forget the commentary of Will Rogers that “he didn’t belong to an organized political party…he was a democrat.” In recent times the comedy TV series Laugh-in, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, George Carlin, then today, Saturday Night Live, John Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

In my day job I do teaching and corporate training. I have a teaching partner who is what I would describe as a “moderate” Republican. He is a bit of comedian himself. He made this comment to me about John Stewart. “You know…a lot of these serious politicians think they’re going onto the “Daily Show” to be interviewed by a comedian. That is a big mistake.” His point was although John Stewart uses humor…he is a serious journalist, even if he himself won’t admit it. If you go back and read the entire transcript of the Colbert testimony including questions and you don’t get the impression of a serious debate…you may need to retake an IQ test if you previously scored above a single digit.

These two excerpts (one given in character, one given out of character) are as serious as one can get…with or without humor.

Colbert: “This brief experience gave me some small understanding of why so few Americans are clamoring to begin an exciting career as seasonal migrant field workers. So what’s the answer? I’m a free-market guy. Normally, I would leave this to the invisible hand of the market, but the invisible hand of the market has already moved over 84,000 acres of production and over 22,000 farm jobs to Mexico, and shut down over a million acres of U.S. farm land due to lack of available labor. Because apparently even the invisible hand doesn’t want to pick beans.
Now, I’m not a fan of the government doing anything. But I’ve gotta ask, why isn’t the government doing anything? Maybe this Ag Jobs bill would help, I don’t know. Like most members of Congress, I haven’t read it. But maybe we could offer more visas to the immigrants who, let’s face it, will probably be doing these jobs anyway. And this improved legal status might allow immigrants recourse if they are abused. And it just stands to reason, to me, that if your coworker can’t be exploited, then you’re less likely to be exploited yourself. And that, itself, might improve pay and working conditions on these farms, and eventually, Americans may consider taking these jobs again. Or maybe that’s crazy. Maybe the easier answer is just to have scientists develop vegetables that pick themselves. The genetic engineers over at Fruit of the Loom have made great strides in human-fruit hybrids.”

Then later on when questioned;

REP. CHU: “Mr. Colbert, you could work on so many issues. Why are you interested in this issue?”

COLBERT: [Takes a pause of two or three beats to think before answering, dropping character] “I like talking about people who don’t have any power, and it seems like one of the least powerful people in the United States are migrant workers who come in and do our work, but don’t have any rights as a result. And yet, we still ask them to come here, and at the same time, ask them to leave. And that’s an interesting contradiction to me, and um… You know, “whatsoever you did for the least of my brothers,” and these seemed like the least of my brothers, right now. A lot of people are “least brothers” right now, with the economy so hard, and I don’t want to take anyone’s hardship away from them or diminish it or anything like that. But migrant workers suffer, and have no rights.”

The interesting issues came up after the hearing when the Democratic Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, approved of Mr. Colbert’s testimony while the Democratic Leader of the House, Steny Hoyer, was not. I have met Mr. Hoyer on a couple of occasions and have a high degree of respect for him. However, the Majority Leader had better realize that the Congress is not the sanctimonious paragon with the public that it may be in the Majority Leader’s mind. His attitude will not help the party he represents with the voters age 18-40. For one who is trying hold on to the majority in the mid-term elections his position is extremely dense. This demographic of voter gets the joke…even if the Democratic Leader and his Republican opposition do not. He and the evangelical fundamentalist right-wing Republicans might really take notice of the reference from the Book of Matthew concerning, “whatsoever you did for the least of my brothers.” As Mr. Colbert states…these really are the least of these. You’d do well, if you professed the Christian faith, to treat them better.