OPINION Circus is gone; where s the bread? Write Angles Pat Maiach And the band played on. it wailed and stomped. The saxophone sounded great. Tho Crazy 8s are a fun band, and the t:rowd appreciat ed tho entertainment. Hut this was a different kind of concert, usually the comedians come on before tho band. You'd have thought the Cul tural Forum was putting on an other evening of entertainment But it wasn't. It was a campaign stop for a man running for the highest office in the land and one of thn most important jobs in the world And thn crowd showed its approval of tho impending poli tical discourse by doing Tho Wave. Just like cheering for a SuperBowl win. the crowd screamed ond stamped its col lective feet. And it seems that's what pol itics has come to. Keep us en tertained, damn it. Don't load us. Don't bons us with specifics or details about your programs. We might start calling you a "policy wonk.” Broad unci circuses. If you keep us entertained (distracted) and keep food on the table, wo won't want to know how you’ve done it. Just don't make it boring, and we won't notice democracy jump ing on a toboggan for a good slide down a moral and ethical slope. But you can't blame us. We art; barragod daily by images of constant gratification. Wo can sit in front of a tube and have the world brought to us, so we don't read We want action. We want drama We don't want facts. Obviously, the 10,000 people inside — and all those left out side — of Mac Court didn't come to see the Crazy Hs But where were they when Clinton was here during May for the primaries? Same man, same 4 Crazy 8* member warm* up tha crowd baton Bill Clinton comaa out to tall how ha H put mora bread on voter*' table*. phin. not the same crowd. Of course he wasn't the front run ner for president at that time. And that's what this Is about — tho entertainment value of seeing the flosh, not hearing the message or digging for the de tails of the change that will lake place next year. Clinton is now a celebrity, like tho Terminator and Rex:, and that's why there are more people pushing and shoving to soo him this time around. You can learn more about Clinton by reading his booklet than you tarn by hearing him s|>ouk for half an hour. But a so ciety that created infotainment does not want specifics. The closest thing we want to news is 30 minutes of TV during din ner. We won't reud u news sto ry if it Jumps to the inside pages or there's no four-color graphic. But don't tell that to the pack of mtxiia that cruised into Mac Court, found the modems and plugged in their laptops used to finish the already half-written stories that most of the (doctor ate will never read hoyond the headlines. nellevo it or not. this is not a criticism of Hill Clinton There's finally a presidential candidate who’s not enough bottom-linn, fight- the-good - fight motivation that a person can feel good about voting this year. This is a mourning for de mocracy and an electorate that is placing celebrity status on a government "by the PEOPLE." This Is a death march for voters gladly placing their fates in a system they want to be enter tained by. Or to quote a dead Crrxik guy. Namnus Irrolevantus: "The People thal once bostowod commands, consulships, le gions, and all else, now con cerns itself no more, and longs eagerly for just two things — bread and circuses." Put Mulut h Is the editor of the Emerald. Take Off! 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