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Choose Between a Douche and a Turd...or Die (Special Get Out the Vote Edition)
I realize it's not breaking news or anything,
but last night Comedy Central featured a rerun of the South Park
2004 classic "Douche and Turd," where the kids' choices for a new
school mascot are between a Giant Douche and a Turd Sandwich.
Given that we are in the early parts of a presidential campaign and will hence face an exactly analagous decision this time next year, I figured I'd send along links to the two rousing songs from the episode, both of which are designed to underscore not just the privilege of voting but the absolute necessity of doing so. Click below to listen:
Read reason's interview with South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone here.
|8.23.07 @ 8:15AM|#
Speaking of "Vote or Die," I think that, if I was undecided
before the 2004 general election, the last person I would vote for,
R or D, would be the asshole endorsed by the pre-recorded P Diddy
message I received as part of the "Vote or Die" campaign.
Yes, I'd love to vote for someone who:
A: Has me in their database for no reason
B: Doesn't have the fortitude to call me in person
C: Has the gall to tell me, a musician, to vote for who fucking
P Diddy says I should vote for. Anyone with even the slightest
musical ability knows that P Diddy was the biggest rip-off artist
in the last century, including Steven Foster.
Have any of the candidates, Dr. Paul excluded, ever actually talked
to a citizen of the U.S. outside of telling them to bring the car
around?
|8.23.07 @ 8:20AM|#
There is still hope that we have a relatively decent choice in Nov '08. There is at least 1 candidate on either side that is better than douche or turd, unlike the past 2-3 elections.
Anonymo the Anonymous|8.23.07 @ 9:33AM|#
This is why I don't get the complaints about "South Park is funny, but it's gotten too preachy." This episode (and a few others like it, namely 'Trapped in the Closet') is about as preachy as it gets and they're also among the funniest of the series.
ed|8.23.07 @ 9:38AM|#
Given that we are in the early parts of a presidential
campaign
That was a joke, right?
|8.23.07 @ 9:47AM|#
Isn't "or" the wrong preposition?
I swear that every election is my last time voting. But then the
powers that be always seem to be able to trot out some atrocious
troll of a candidate, far worse than the last round, like Hillary,
that I *have to* out and vote against.
So that's the plan to keep us voting, eh? Keep democracy safe by
running ever more horrific and intolerable politicians?
Jesus of Nazareth|8.23.07 @ 9:59AM|#
Ok, ok. We get it. Trey Parker and Matt Stone have some kind of
relationship with Reason. Conferences, interviews, folk songs,
posts linking to songs for no real purpose...this is getting out of
hand. I mean, did you know Reason had a conference--in AMSTERDAM,
wink, wink--that Parker and Stone actually attended?
Crazy times!
You Reason folks (Magazine and Foundation) are like little girls
crushing over these guys, and it's getting a little pathetic (it
has been for a while, actually).
I love South Park, and I think Parker and Stone are geniuses, too.
But sometimes we can go a little overboard, to the point of
appearing desperate to be one of the "cool" kids.
Just be who you are, Reason. Anyone who doesn't like you for who
you are isn't a real friend anyway. Next time you're feeling down
on yourself, or if you need an "I'm cooler than these other policy
wonks" pick-me-up, don't link to some South Park song.
Just go to an AFF happy hour.
|8.23.07 @ 10:01AM|#
"I swear that every election is my last time voting. But
then the powers that be always seem to be able to trot out some
atrocious troll of a candidate, far worse than the last round, like
Hillary, that I *have to* out and vote against."
Hehe...but who do you vote for when it's Hillary versus Rudy?
Personally, I think that'd be about the time that I'd stick as many
forks in my eyes as possible, just to take my fucking mind off of
the predicament we're in...
Russ 2000|8.23.07 @ 10:07AM|#
This is why I don't get the complaints about "South Park is
funny, but it's gotten too preachy."
The people who say that are the ones who have a belief or two that
got skewered on the show. The choice was to laugh at themselves or
stop watching South Park. Sadly, most people take themselves too
seriously.
|8.23.07 @ 10:09AM|#
There is at least 1 candidate on either side that is better
than douche or turd, unlike the past 2-3 elections.
Pleasant, but they won't get the nomination.
Keep democracy safe by running ever more horrific and
intolerable politicians?
There has to be a point where the law of diminishing returns kicks
in, and either one of the the two indistinguishable parties will
shape up or a third party will finally get some
recognition.
Or, at least I hope. This bullshit storm has to let up eventually.
I pray to Zeus that one day, some politician will fuck up so badly
that Americans will finally wake up.
|8.23.07 @ 10:11AM|#
I pray to Zeus that one day, some politician will fuck up so
badly that Americans will finally wake up.
Wow.. that that day has not come with the current administration
really says something, don't it?
|8.23.07 @ 10:20AM|#
There is at least 1 candidate on either side that is better than
douche or turd, unlike the past 2-3 elections.
not on the republican side there isn't cause their all turds. john
kerry wasn't a turd either but the republican machine made him look
like one which is why bush won and we're still in this mess. your
just threatened by obama and clinton, who are going to wipe the
floor with your republican party because the country is tierd of
war and voting for dems is the only way we're going to get out of
iraq.
Rhywun|8.23.07 @ 10:21AM|#
I swear that every election is my last time
voting.
It's easy--you can do it!
|8.23.07 @ 10:55AM|#
I also saw this episode last night and it got me
thinking...
I agree with the episode overall: you absolutely have the right to
abstain from voting. Part of the freedom to do something includes
the freedom not to do something. I think the creators were
just trying to voice their feelings of alienation from the
political system, especially when the choice between the Republican
and Democrat is like choosing between cutting off your left
testicle or your right testicle.
However, I do think everyone should vote whenever they can. Even if
you're voting for some obscure third party candidate who has no
chance of winning, you're at least voicing your opinions.
How many people succumb to the thought of "well, I don't like
either candidate, but I hate that guy more than that one, so I'll
vote for 'the other guy'"? If all of those people did a little more
research (other than watching the talking heads on cable news), I'm
sure they could find a candidate they liked. We might have a few
decades of shitty administrations, but it would be a good habit to
get ourselves into, and eventually free ourselves of this "two
- party - whoever - has - the - most - fundraising - dinners - and
- celebrity - endorsements - and - corporate - pals - wins"
political environment.
|8.23.07 @ 1:01PM|#
Hehe...but who do you vote for when it's Hillary versus
Rudy?
No, not vote, run.
|8.23.07 @ 1:24PM|#
who do you vote for when it's Hillary versus
Rudy?
If there's no LP candidate, I write-in "Micky Mouse" or sometimes I
write-in myself
|8.23.07 @ 1:35PM|#
We need an Anarchist Party. Then they can run "Nobody" as a
candidate. "None of the above" is a cheap ploy by the sellout
closet statists. We need a REAL choice, like "Nobody".
p.s. I would also like to see "Auction off the White House in a
symbolic gesture to pay down the national debt", but I don't think
that would fit on a Diebold touchscreen.
|8.23.07 @ 2:05PM|#
Yeah, the candidates suck, but I really enjoyed how they trashed celebrities who feel they are doing a service by asking people to vote. Higher voter turnout doesn't help anything, this is not the most important election ever, and no candidate will make things that much better or that much worse. We'll probably see two candidates who both want to stay in Iraq, who both want national healthcare, and who both will continue the expansion of execuitive powers and secrecy. Divided government is all we can hope for.
|8.24.07 @ 7:18PM|#
SCREW ZOD!
ZARDOZ 2008!
The Gun is Good, The penis is evil!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQR9cHkyeFM
Eric Dondero|8.25.07 @ 9:14AM|#
Is this supposed to be some sort of metaphor for Kubby vs. Phillies?
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