America's Saving Grace

In trying to deal with my general depression about the state of the world, and the USA in particular, I get encouraged each night while watching Jon Stewart, and each day when I discover people around me are also regular viewers.

Regardless of politics, views, level of conservatism or liberalism, one has to admit that Jon Stewart cares about where he lives. He's not just in the business to make money, or capitalize on sensationalism. He manifests true involvement and much of the frustration that surrounds me in daily life. This is probably at the root of the success of his show. It resonates with a dissatisfied public, one that is trying to find some rationality in a ridiculously greedy and convoluted world. Of course good writing and copious material provided by the W himself helps as well. Even so, back in Clinton's day, the show had the same level of level-headed insight and effective humor that it does today, the administration's political leanings didn't change that.

And what the show does offer is an exposure of how ridiculous the things that our government is doing are. Yet it does this with a care that belies the pain that hides behind the humor. I think this came out the most in the episode where Stewart was reviewing the American media's take on the Lebanese conflict recently. Each and every one of the "news" organizations focused on the "pain in our pockets" due to the rise in petrol prices due to the conflict. No mention of the fact that people were being displaced and were dying, getting maimed, their lives getting destroyed. They weren't really people after all I guess, since they weren't Americans. Any explanation of this treatment boggles the mind, and it was clear Stewart was on the verge of a breakdown even as he tried to put a humorous spin on the facts he was presenting.

Last night's edition of the show demonstrated to me once again that there may yet be hope. Pakistan's President Musharraf was on the show. Think about it! The president of a sovereign nation appearing on a US "comedy" program. While the O'reilly-type windbags are getting high on the smell of the administration's farts, Stewart is actually reaching out to the very people we need to hear from, so we can better understand the world out there. There was at least a dialog started with this man, and he was given a chance to express his opinions to the American public. And in fact, those opinions were not completely out of left-field, and were worth hearing. Not to mention that Stewart treated his guest with respect and consideration, as well as humor, something I'm not sure we'd see on Hard Ball.

As I fall into the deepest disappointment based on what I see going on around me, I am propped up by the thought that I can count on seeing someone else in this country express the same frustrations that I am experiencing, and that this person has an ever larger following among the American public.