Open letter to Bill Maher

People have the freedom to essentially say what the want - radical , conservative , religious , and atheist opinions are voiced with voracity in our modern information society . Us lucky westerners are blessed to be able to voice our opinions with little chance of repercussions and this is something I would die to defend . However , some people are factually wrong and I will take time out of my day to correct them . One of those people is Bill Maher .

Now , Bill and I have some varying opinions on things . Some things like decriminalization of adult marijuana use and legalization of gay marriage , we agree on , but I will point out that the reasoning is different . On the flip side , he wants to remove funding for non-profit groups and thinks all religious people are delusional , and , well , we'll have to agree to disagree there . Vive la difference ! Opposing beliefs make the world a mighty interesting place and fodder for more than a fair share of my stand-up material .

But what DOES enrage me is that some of what he says is so factually wrong and divisive , he could very well be dangerous to democracy as we know it . At the very least , he is guilty of making big bank telling utopian falsehoods to a public looking for answers in today's tough times . You see , Bill Maher is just like those shitty AIG executives he bitches about . He is a blatant hypocrite .

Mr. Maher serves on the advisory board of PETA , an organization dedicated to promoting vegetarianism and environmentalism , yet he eats meat and lives a lush carbon-unfriendly lifestyle . He rants endlessly about our lack of brotherhood but supports removing funding of not-for-profit agencies . He claims to love women but supports prostitution and openly treats his girlfriends in an absolutely abhorrent fashion . He claims to be anti-military but loudly proclaims to support Israel . He ridicules religion and wants it removed from society yet he believes in a higher power . He incessantly spouts socialist ideals while living the lavish lifestyle of 100 working men . But most of all , he idealises other societies without knowing the first thing about them .

Mr. Maher continually quotes countries like Canada and Holland as being of the socialist ideal , filled to the brim with free hospitals and great jobs and fraternal love . Yes , in his world , my country is some free-loving utopia devoid of the social problems that plague America . And he thinks everyone should join the party . What he is doing is LYING .

Mr. Maher :

While I adore the country I live in and am honoured that others like yourself seem quite enamoured , I will point out that our wealthiest denizens get front-of-the-line hospital priviledges . Our poor pay high taxes and our wealthy have a littany of loopholes guaranteeing their continued prosperity . We have do have a somewhat better education system because we prioritize it , but you don't mention that because you dislike children rather openly . We have free elections and free speech and late-night comedians who satirize the governement . In fact , many of those anchors are paid to do so by taxpayers because nobody knows self-depricating humour like us Canucks . We work hard , have few vacations and live and die in the very nondescript way that our neighbours to the south do . We have corrupt politicians , corporate scandals , homelessness , child poverty , drug addiction and everything else you do . If we get sick it is generally our communities that raise money to pay for costly treatment . We volunteer for causes home and abroad , and per capita , our military is not that far off your mark . We really are alike , we are humans as you are , not fantastical cherubim .

What really grinds me is the fact that malcontents like you delude Americans into thinking we are something we are not , that we have more , that we pay exhorbitant tax rates , that we are somehow different , almost non-human . This , of course , generates a lot of hatred from people seeing us as getting an easier deal . In essence , your delusional beliefs about who we are teaches your people to hate us . People believe the bullshit and have a natural , almost visceral reaction to it because between you and your mates , there is so much propaganda that it is difficult to ignore . You have fueled hatred while claiming to be all for brotherly love . It may be inadvertant , but now that you know a few things about us , please stop selling lies about us to further your ridiculous communist agenda .

We didn't ask for your endorsement , please , for the love of decency , remove it .

Mika