It is better to slip on a banana peel than to oppress someone

I've decided we need a new set of standards for choosing world leaders and policies: the funniness criterion. War is not funny. Therefore, not good. Torture? Genocide? Not funny. Definitely to be avoided. Wearing silly hats? Funny. Slipping on a banana peel? Funny. George Bush? Not funny. We might laugh at him, in a kind of rueful way, because he's so ridiculous, but we don't laugh with him. He's like a joke that doesn't get itself. A good leader should be able to make the people laugh with him or her. If a poll were taken today, I bet Jon Stewart would get more votes than Bush. And if not, then the U.S. seriously needs to get less serious. Lighten up, folks! I know, I know, it's hard to laugh when you're afraid. But on the flip side, it's hard to be afraid when you're laughing.

In policy, we should choose the funnier option. Given a choice between wearing silly hats or going to war, we should never opt for war. If neither policy option is funny, then we should wait till one is. We need better options! Even if it's not laugh-out-loud funny, the right choice should at least make people smile. Here's an example of a good policy choice Brazil made, as told to me by my Brazilian housemate in 1985. During Reagan's presidency, he visited Brazil, and at a state dinner, got up to say how pleased he was to be hosted by the good people of Paraguay. Oooh, serious business. U.S. president insults major Latin American country. Did Brazil get all stiff-necked, make an international incident of it, demand an apology? No. A consortium of Brazilian newspapers got together and all ran full page ads the next day with Reagan's picture, saying, "The people of Brazil welcome the President of Canada!" Way to go, Brazil! So let's start handling international incidents with humour.

P.S. Fundamentalists never have a sense of humour.