The Carpetbagger Report, November 2, 2007
Last week, The Onion, which is a satirical publication, ran a very amusing editorial cartoon, mocking right-wing attitudes. The cartoon asked, “Halloween: What is it teaching our kids?” It depicted a kid trick-or-treating with a bag that read, “Something for Nothing,” under the caption, “Everyone deserves hand-outs!”
Proving once again that today’s right is practically impossible to satirize, Fox News’ Sean Hannity actually made the same argument, on the air, in the hopes of labeling Halloween a “liberal holiday.”
On the October 31 edition of Fox News’ Hannity & Colmes, co-host Sean Hannity claimed that “Halloween is a liberal holiday” and “is teaching our kids to be liberals.” Hannity explained that “we’re teaching kids to knock on other people’s doors and ask for a handout.” Co-host Alan Colmes responded by asking if that meant that Christmas is a “liberal holiday.” Colmes asserted that Halloween represents “the act of giving,” and asked: “Isn’t that a Christian thing, to give, to share with your community?” Hannity replied: “Not to teach your kids to beg for a handout.”
In all sincerity, I thought Media Matters was kidding about this, until I watched the clip. Hannity, apparently in all seriousness, said we shouldn’t teach “our children to beg for something for free.” He concluded, “You’re teaching your kids to beg for a handout.”
In the broader cultural context, I think a sea-change of sorts may be underway. The caricature of late has been that of a politically-correct, liberal intellectual going around denigrating the things “regular people” enjoy. I wonder if Hannity is helping push the pendulum in the other direction – all activities should be measured against a right-wing worldview. If they’re perceived as politically heretical, they should be dismissed.
What kind of warped childhood did this guy have? It is OK to get no bid contract hand outs but if you want candy on Halloween you’re just a worthless piece of shit? What does that make the people that hand out the candy? Bush sure has screwed the pooch if this is all Hanity has these days!!!!!!!!! Hanity is one sorry ass mother fucker that is way over paid and he is talking about hand outs?
Comment by CaliforniaDave — November 2, 2007 @ 7:54 pm