Kids or beer...hmmmmm

When Scott Reid blew himself out of the water last weekend with his whole "beer and popcorn" comment I did a Hop of Joy. Not the full blown Dance of Glee, you understand, but the more subdued Hop. I dislike Reid and generally think he's an arrogant git, but I don't passionately loathe him as I do some others. And while I'm still learning about the whole public relations field, I suspect you might be failing at your job when you become the story, and not the people who sign the cheques.

And oh my has he flopped big time. Do a search for his name in Google News and see what publications are picking up on his gaffe. It's gone international.

But then I read this short profile in the Toronto Star and discovered that he's a comic book fan.

Well, clearly I had to reevaluate the whole character of Reid. I mean, if he nips down to his local comic store in-between bouts of defending his boss and the party from corruption charges, then clearly he can't be all bad, right?

Then I remembered that I've known some real assholes who collect comics. I still get chills when I think about the year or two I spent in the Avalon Mall flea market selling comics.

So, he's still a git.

But I did find this amusing as well. Someone started a website called Kids Not Beer which is a petition against Reid's statements. Alas, I do have to strongly disagree with the site's author on this point:

"No parent, not a single one, in this country would spend money designated for child care, and given to them for that reason, on beer or popcorn."

Um, sadly, this is not the case. There really are parents, and more than a few, that if you gave them money to spend on child care would blow it this way. Or, more accurately, on VLTs, bingo, smokes and beer.

I'm not saying all parents are bad. That would be idiotic. Just as idiotic as saying there wouldn't be parents - very bad ones - who would sooner blow the extra money on themselves than their kids.

Anyway, this is all too ripe for the picking, which is why Rick Mercer skews this without trying hard. His rant is pretty damn funny and points out, probably correctly, that more than one kid wouldn't be here without beer. Furthermore, he's not happy about the bad rap that beer drinkers have been getting in the last few days.

Which is why he's created his own counter-petition, Beer Not Kids.

I've got to admit, I'm kind of torn here. I have no kids, nor plan on having any for many years. Additionally, I don't drink beer. But after careful thought on this crucial issue in the federal campaign I've opted to side with the beer drinkers. While some of my friends have kids, nearly all of them are beer drinkers. And clearly I can not sit back and let Conservatives persecute my beer drinking friends. This is Wrong. I must take a stand.

So if you'll excuse me, I'm off to sign the petition. After all, it's important to get involved.

Last 5 on iPod
1. Mystery hours - The New Pornographers (Mass Romantic)
2. Los Endos - Genesis (Platinum Collection)
3. Murder in the Southlands - Jenny Gear and the Whiskey Kittens (S/T)
4. Crucify - Tori Amos (Little Earthquakes)
5. I guess that's why they call it the blues - Elton John (Greatest Hits)