Errol Morris, director of films such as The Thin Blue Line and A Brief History of Time made a statement recently in defense of the truth that, while being common sense to me might come off as profound to others:

There is such a thing as truth, but we often have a vested interest in ignoring it or outright denying it.

Also, it’s not just thinking something that makes it true. Truth is not relative, it’s not subjective. It may be elusive or hidden. People may wish to disregard it. But there is such a thing as truth. And the pursuit of truth: Trying to figure out what has really happened; trying to figure out how things really are.

After eight years of George W. Bush, the truth has suffered a fatal blow in the collective conscience of this country. While others might pinpoint the beginning of this decline to Clinton’s “is” statement, I believe the truth on that is a little clouded. Clinton was in a court of law and, being of a law background himself, it is not unreasonable to demand the parsing of words, especially when you’re the one on the chopping block.

Bush and Cheney, however, were the real culprits. They spent years trying to turn the truth into a gray area. Suddenly, under these guys, a vague satellite image of trucks becomes a chemical weapon laboratory. A suggested meeting between a 9/11 hijacker and Saddam, always a lie, becomes a possible truth. An economy heading into the abyss is still “vibrant.” The fact is, the truth isn’t really malleable. It is what it is. Words don’t define the truth. The truth is that space between words and interpretation.

This brings me to one of the biggest abusers of the truth, Sara Palin. This shrew, short of actual political skill, has co-opted the Bush administrations failed “truth as a gray area” strategy and is attempting to use it to remain valid (another falsehood. She never was).

David Letterman recently made a joke about her daughter being knocked up by A-Rod. Anyone with an ounce of common sense could see who the subject was of this ribbing - Bristol Palin. She’s the one known for having been “knocked up” and it’s her life that has been under the microscope. Palin and her idiot husband have been trying to get mileage out of this by suggesting it was their younger daughter they were talking about, thus delving into the idea that Letterman was promoting the “rape” of their 14-year-old.

Was the younger daughter at the Yankee game in discussion? Sure - but comedy is not a gray area nor is it linear in it’s thinking. You have to be on-target to make a joke work and this one could only work with the recognition of who the subject matter was. It was Bristol. End of story.

The “truth” of this situation is not in parsing the words, it’s the space between. Letterman, of course, would never suggest anything so inflamatory. It’s not in his nature. The fact that these two media whores are trying to ruin his reputation so they can grab another minute in a spotlight they don’t deserve is more than pathetic, it’s borderline criminal.

Unfortunately, that 22% of the public that still loves George Bush now hates Letterman (if they didn’t before). Therefore, you’re getting numbskull responses like these in the blogs from people who have no sense of either truth or humor:

I don’t like Palin, but let’s be honest, he was talking about her 14 yr old daughter. She was the one at the Yankees game with Palin, not the 18 yr old. This guy is a sick freak. -Bob

Anyone who thinks any jokes about rape regardless of age is funny has serious issues. Another example of far left lack of class and plain meanness. You do not see the right joking about these things do you? - Mr. Joshua

Letterman just lost one more viewer any kind of joke about a raping any girl or women is in bad taste if someone had said the same thing about one of Obama girls or wife or Bill Clintons daughter they would be history. - Old Man

The fact that these morons above might be a little bit partisan is besides the point. In fact, on some level it is the point. The republican party has completely embraced this notion of the truth being gray. It’s sad. I have friends of mine that I cannot have a rational conversation with - a conversation or debate regarding well-known facts - without the truth being twisted by them. And even when you tell them the truth, they’ll tell you it’s the main stream media that’s promoting these “lies.” Hopefully, someday, the truth will be valuable again to these people. As it is right now, it’s just another casualty of their need to control the argument.

Verbal Paintball