Finding Comic Relief among the 2016 Election Debris

By Robert A. Vella

No matter who wins, the 2016 presidential election will go down as one of the most controversial and depressing in American history.  Plagued by seemingly insurmountable societal problems at home and abroad, a highly polarized and dysfunctional political climate, an extremely underwhelming cast of candidates, bombastic and caustic campaign rhetoric aplenty, an endless stream of scandal and dirty tricks, and two major party nominees with absolutely dismal approval ratings, it’s not at all surprising that very few people are finding anything funny or amusing about this election.  But, voilà, I dug deep for this little nugget!

From NPR – Rallies, Marches And A ‘Fart-In’: Philadelphia Gets Ready For The DNC:

… Cheri Honkala with the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign is gathering cases of donated beans in her office. She plans to feed them to protesters on the last night of the convention when Hillary Clinton accepts her party’s nomination.

You could say her protest plan is a real gas.

“We thought that this process really stinks,” Honkala says. “So we decided to organize a national fart-in.” She doesn’t like that only two political parties dominate American politics.

Apparently, this fart-in will be taking place inside and outside the convention center and will be timed to coincide with Hillary’s acceptance speech tonight.  If the protesters did sufficient medical research to optimize the acoustic and aromatic effects of flatulence, it could be quite a show!

Yes, it’s an immature childish prank.  Still, I can’t avoid seeing the humor in it.  And, if the fart-in really blasts-off – if you know what I mean – it would be poetic justice for the equally petty move by the Democratic National Convention last night when it dimmed the lights over Sanders supporters who had interrupted former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s speech with passionate anti-war chants.