The Occasional Observer

I went to go see the new Ice Age movie with my family this weekend.  After the 15 minutes of previews, I thought the movie would start.  It didn't.  Instead we were treated to a bonus 3D short of the Simpsons.  I haven't watched the Simpsons since 2006, when they abandoned comedy for politics.  Prior to that I was a big fan - buying DVDs and other merchandise.  The short was not only political, it wasn't very entertaining and it got the attempted leftist political statement all wrong.

The central character to the short was the baby, Maggie.  It started with her entering The Ayn Rand Pre-School (or something similar).  I knew I was going to be annoyed just from that opening.  It then proceeded to show an exaggerated security checkpoint.  They passed a room for the gifted kids with all kinds of nice things in it and left Maggie in the remedial room which was gloomy and barren. 

First of all, I suspect the majority of the viewers of an Ice Age movie have no clue who Ayn Rand is. 

Secondly, if the liberal writers knew anything at all about her, they'd know she was a libertarian, not a conservative.  Extreme government security measures are anathema to her philosophy.  She also would not have advocated giving better opportunity to students deemed gifted.  Fairness is central to her writing.

If you consider yourself a clever liberal cartoon writer, at least get it right.  Better yet, keep the politics to yourself and work harder on making it funny.