Doug Henwood wrote:
>
> redneck brain surgeon.
>
> I dunno about Mencken's philiosophy of religion, but God do we need
> someone of his talents at making fun of it. We got a born agin'er in
> the WH and there's just not enough ruthless satire about it.
>
Did anybody change their opinions because of Mencken? Did he have any measurable political effect? Or did he speak only to those whose opinions were made up, and whose only desire was to have those opinions stroked by someone who had the skill to do it? Satire is for true believers only. It makes them feel better (which is certainly legitimate and even desirable), but let us not fool ourselves into thinking it has any political effect _other_ than entertaining the troops. That is good, even very good, but don't spoil it by overestimating it.
Carrol