America Needs to Lose the Fake Outrage

When David Axelrod called Mitt Romney's Illinois ad push a “Mittzkrieg” this week, the Republican Jewish Coalition angrily demanded that the DNC rebuke him. “Because the message of 'Mittzkrieg' was clear: Kill all the Jews,” quips Bill Maher in a New York Times op-ed. Maher, who has lately drawn his own share of ire, is fed up with the fake, partisan outrage America drums up at every remotely objectionable utterance. “When did we get it in our heads that we have the right to never hear anything we don't like?”

“Let's have amnesty—from the left and the right—on every made-up, fake, totally insincere, playacted hurt, insult, slight and affront.” Maher suggests. If you hear something you don't like on TV, just change the channel. Hate Rush Limbaugh? Don't listen! “If we sand down our rough edges and drain all the color, emotion and spontaneity out of our discourse” we'll wind up with bland, empty, platitude-spouting, focus-group-approved leaders. “In other words, we'll get Mitt Romney.” Click for Maher's full column. (More Bill Maher stories.)