Although I am certain that George Carlin will not receive even a tenth of the adulation from the people who matter in American Broadcasting,he was a giant where it counted.In the hearts and minds of people who did not follow the herd.Conformity was not George’s great suit and his biting commentary on religion,our social mores and our predatory attacks against the powerless have made him a cultural icon.In this he reminds me of Frank Zappa, a man whose perceptions rival those of Edith Wharton.
So we mourn the passing of a true American legend,one who kept us from losing our marbles completely.
In his last interview with Keith Olberman, George said in reference to the treatment of prisoners and the religious intolerance unleashed by Bush,”this country is finished”.He said it in the sense of having lost its ideals and become a malignant entity.
Although it made me sad to agree with George, I know that so long as we continue to produce George Carlins and respect their contributions, we never have to worry about the small minded tyrants among us.
Rest in peace George.You were the best.
