A good working definition of irony

(Coincidentally, I just received Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" back from the co-worker who'd borrowed it. She hated it, but she's glad she read it, if that makes any sense...)

Anyhoo...does anyone else find it in the least ironic that those who would ban the book from a Canadian high school would be the ones most likely to salivate over the prospect of living in the Republic of Gilead?

Memo: Homeschool if you can't bear the thought of exposing little Johnny to the real world. But for love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, don't be surprised when neither he nor your grandkids ever visit you in the nursing home. (Grandkids, of course, being predicated on you arranging his marriage for him.)

Now, I realize that a democracy (and a civilized society in general) hinges upon multiple points of view. But the sense of entitlement of these parochial, super-sized toddlers masquerading as parents or upright citizens really (and I do mean really) stretches the limits of my polite tolerance.

Gaaagh. I just wish to Grethor that the U.N. could section off some corner of the planet where these sissypants ninnyhammers could live in their little bubble, hermetically sealed off from any possibility of contamination by capital-R Reality, much less the awe-inducing burden of critical thought. There, @$holes: Have your evolution denial and your global warming denial and your abstinence-only fairy-tales and your big hair and your Hummers and your Wal-Marts and your 57 channels of insipid "family" programming and your slave-manufactured plastic-craptastic "Wait 'til the Joneses see this" gewgaws by the cargo container.

Great. Now just stay the @#$% out of my Universe, you @#$%ing @#$%wits.

Almost wish, anyway. As much good as it would do the rest of the world to be rid of the Talibangelist mentality (no matter the religion), I can't in good conscience wish that on the children they would bring into their bubble. And they'd have 'em by the boatload--make no mistake about that.

But as it never will happen--the Religious Wrong's lion-chow persecution fantasies to the contrary--I can enjoy a bit of wishful thinking...