Did you hear the one about the lawmaker who scolded the University of Tennessee bookstore about some breath mints because they poked fun at President Obama?
Don’t wait for a punch line; this actually happened. The bookstore, proving itself unworthy of that name, folded like a wet towel and censored its candy section by pulling the mints. And the lily-livered UT administration backed the decision.
Come, let us savor every minty-fresh moment:
* A student complains to Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, about tins of mints in the bookstore that feature a cartoon of Obama and read, “This is change? Disappoint Mints.” I’ll stipulate that as satire goes, Disappoint Mints aren’t on a par with Swift’s “A Modest Proposal.” Still, even bland political commentary has rights.
* But rather than lecture the student on the virtues of free speech, Armstrong goes to the bookstore – a university bookstore, which resides near the pinnacle of First Amendment protection, for crying out loud! – and says he’s offended.