Tie Loosening

The other day when I went to a standup show, the very same comedian who I denounced as a dumb loudmouth and later warmed to did something else that left me not well disposed towards him at first. In recent years, it has become more and more common for my home state of Arizona to be featured in the act of comedians. It's funny to think that I should be perturbed, because I grew up sorry that Arizona was relatively obscure in the national scene. It sure isn't any more.

One controversial law after another has ensured that the state remains a figure ripe for the sharp words of comedians eager to be topical. When I was a kid, it was the Martin Luther King Day issue. More recently it was the SB 1070 issue. Now there's the bill that supporters would say is a boost to religious freedom. Detractors call it a license to discriminate. I'm inclined to side with the latter group. Boy, who knew there was reputation and business left to lose after the last thing?

It was this latest bill (which Governor Brewer must now face up to) that led to Arizona getting brought up, of course. It was an easy target, and an easy way for the comedian to win the support of the crowd. The feeling of hearing the place you were born in getting viciously raked over the coals is unpleasant. Being in a packed room of people voicing their thorough disapproval of the place where you grew up and which you consider a rather critical aspect of your makeup is very unpleasant indeed.

The comedian asked whether anyone in the room was from Arizona. I did not consider declaring myself for very long. There seemed little chance of any good coming from. I had no interest in drawing out that section of his material, which is all that I would have achieved except for also calling it down upon myself specifically. I wondered whether I was being less than brave, but then why should I take another hit for Arizona in addition to the hit to my pride?