Enter Stage Right hands out its awards...

The Earth is Flat Award

A celebration of the inane, insipid and asinine...

web posted December 17, 2001

Back in my school days, a law teacher once told your editor that I of course had a right to opinion, but why did I think anyone would think it important enough to listen to.

While few would spare time to listen to me, perhaps, rock bands are another matter. For some reason, rock musicians are accorded prestige far beyond their profession deserves. While most musicians let their music speak for them, others take matters into their own hands and make sure we all know how they feel. Radiohead singer Thom Yorke is one of them.

Yorke

In a Christmas greeting sent out by the band to its fans, York thanked them for appreciating their albums. He then took the opportunity to pontificate on world events. Specifically, the American-led war in Afghanistan against the Taliban and al-Qaida.

"Violence breeds violence," Yorke said.

"We need a world court, not a Republican with his hands covered in oil and military hardware, lecturing us on world security," he wrote in the message.

"We need love and understanding and tolerance and good laws that apply to everyone, upheld by those who are in a position to judge."

He added: "Praying for world peace is not such an embarrassing thing to do anymore, I think. Especially not this Christmas."

And then he closed off with: "Does that sound silly? Don't care."

The Vinegar in Freedom Award

There is an old Serbian proverb that says vinegar in freedom tastes better than honey in slavery. This award is meant for events and people Enter Stage Right considers to be positive.

web posted December 17, 2001

For the second time this year, Republicans are bidding farewell to a prominent member of Congress. Last week, House Majority Leader Dick Armey announced that he would not run in the 2002 midterm elections, ending an 18-year run in the House of Representatives.

Armey, chief proponent of the flat tax, told his colleagues that many of his priorities had become a reality and that it was time to take a breather.

"The American people deserve a government that knows their goodness and has the decency to respect it," Armey said in an emotional floor speech. "It is up to us to be that government, and I have complete confidence that we will continue to be just that.

"Because of this confidence, I am comfortable telling you today that the end of this 107th Congress is the time for me to stand down as majority leader and as a member of Congress," Armey added.

While he did manage to push through two tax reduction packages, the 1996 welfare reform bill, the 1997 balanced budget agreement with the Clinton White House and a budgeting strategy that resulted in billions in surplus gains for the federal government, we're not so sure that the Republicans deserve a lot of praise. That said, he did manage to guide his party in the right direction more often than not.

We wish Armey the best and thank him for his years of service.

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