(THE SCENE: Professor Ray Langston’s graduate seminar in political psychology at a Canadian university. It’s the Monday after the 2012 U.S. election. The students are seated around an oblong table. Professor Langston enters and takes his seat.)

Prof. Langston: “Well, did everyone watch the U.S. election results?”

Reg: “I did, but only because I had to for this class. I don’t know what the point was—The U.S. is so religiously and economically insane it didn’t matter who won.”

Judith: “Well, I’m glad that Obama was re-elected! The country and the world really dodged a bullet!”

Stan: “Yeah! a ‘dumb-dumb’!” (General laughter from the professor and students—all except Ezra, who doesn’t see the humour.)

Ezra: “I don’t see how you can laugh! Obama is a communist and a national security threat! His Middle East policy amounts to throwing Israel under the bus. Romney is 100% behind Israel and its need to attack Iran. That’s a real American president for you!”

Stan: “Are you for real? Israel has had Obama on a choke chain since he got elected, and as for being communist (voice rising), that’s just a typical right-wing smear tactic! You’re like that idiot woman in Kentucky who squawked ‘communist’ about Obama, but when questioned by MSNBC reporter Chris Matthews had nothing intelligent to say.”

Reg: (to the professor) “You see what I mean about insanity? Ezra must be part American.”

Prof. Langston: “Well, for better or worse, Barack Obama has been re-elected. Is anyone surprised that Romney did so poorly, and what does his loss mean for the future of the Republicans?

Stan: “First of all, your question begs the existence of a Republican Party, but the party of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Eisenhower bears no resemblance to the gang of reactionary, neo-fascist warmongers and robber barons that now run under its banner…”

Ezra: “Fascist?! Now who’s insane! This was a democratic election, one that will go down as the worst in U.S. history. Fascists don’t run in democratic elections.”

Judith: “Hitler and Mussolini both did.”

Ezra: “You know what I mean!”

Con't @ [link to www.gregfelton.com]