John McCain's Sinking Campaign

Add this to the "really dumb things politicians say" file. CNN.com reports that when John McCain was asked at a town hall meeting if there is a plan to attack Iran he responded thusly - "You know that old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran?" the Republican presidential candidate said. Then, he sang, "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran."

Campaign spokesman Kevin McLaughlin gave this explanation - "The senator was adding levity to the discussion and the crowd reacted with laughter...He went on to discuss the seriousness of (the) issue."

With an obviously sinking presidential campaign, one has to wonder what McCain was thinking when he made this remark. Humor is one thing, but stupidity is another, and in this day and age of disastrous political gaffes one would think McCain would understand how poorly these remarks would play in the public arena. There has already been plenty of speculation about plans by the Bush administration to attack Iran, and as a presidential candidate - and one who could lead us into war with Iran - McCain's words are irresponsible and regrettable. War, and the potential for war, is never a laughing matter. The current mess of our war with Iraq is proof that anyone aspiring to be president should be responsible enough to weigh their words more carefully.

Virginia Tech and Gun Control

Listening to National Public Radio today, a caller asked that Congress not rush to consider any gun control legislation. He used the worn, old mantra guns don't kill people, people kill people. Well, sorry but that's not true. People with guns kill people. The availability of guns made it possible for this young man to kill so many people on the campus of Virginia Tech University.

I should add, before anyone accuses me of being anti-gun, that my father was a gunsmith and a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. He taught me to hunt and was also very particular about gun safety. While certainly a sportsman, he did not believe that anyone should be able to purchase any type of gun they desired.

Say what you want about the 2nd amendment of the Constitution, but I don't see it as an absolute right to own and possess any type of gun, just as the 1st amendment doesn't allow for an absolute freedom of speech. Of the many things that may come from this tragedy, some sensible gun legislation would be a good place to start.

Don Imus

I know everyone in the world is already commenting on the remarks made by Don Imus, but there's always room for one more opinion.

My initial reaction was to question how a public person could make such incredibly stupid remarks. Surely someone in the public eye as long as Don Imus would know better. But there's the rub - it was not accident or oversight. Don Imus knew exactly what he was saying and it was not a slip of the tongue. Doubt that? Just run a Google search on some of the past comments Imus has made on his program and it you will find this is just one more comment in a long string of stupid and offensive remarks made by Imus. Reading over some of those comments made me wonder why he hasn't sparked this much controversy in the past.

MSNBC has cancelled the simulcast of his program. Good for them. Advertisers are bailing out of his show. Good for them. A member of the CBS board of directors has called for Imus' dismissal. Good for him.

Maybe we are finally awakening from our slumber and will begin demanding a change from the pervasive coarseness of our society. If we do, I hope it will be one that is consistent. We should not accept these kinds of comments from anyone, be they shock jocks like Imus, talk-show hosts on the right or left, or comedians who perpetuate stereotypes through their humor.

As for Imus - should he be fired? Why has it taken this long?