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Comedian George Carlin dead at age 71.

George Carlin was something of a hero to me for quite a long time. Probably since I was only 8 or 9 years of age. I adored his wit as well as his ability to point out the stupidest of human behaviors that nearly all of us share.

Unlike the Carlos Mencias and Dane Cooks of today, Carlin was not edgy because he tried to be. He was simply a very bright person with a penchant for pointing out absurdity and he did it with a style that none could imitate.

Carlin was a pioneer in direct and honest language and, sometimes, it got him into trouble.

His case, FCC v. Pacifica, was a small piece of American history that sparked debate on the limits to protected expression and encouraged the individual to rethink their personal definition of decency. The irony of Supreme Court Justices hearing Carlin’s “Seven Filthy Words” transcript has oftentimes made me grin.

But, I hope Carlin is remembered for more than just his salty language.

His was something of a craftsmanship, honing material that he, doubtless, formulated from day-to-day life — always a common thread, always particularly human.

He also questioned the establishment, much to the chagrin of those in it and around it. In his last special (unfortunately titled Life is Worth Losing), Carlin had mighty harsh words about the people he called the “owners” of America. But, they were sensible words and he was probably spot on in his accusations.

Haunted for years by the demons of chemical addiction, Carlin might not be the role model you’d point to for your child’s sake. But, he was a thinker. No two ways about it.

And, it was that thinking and communicating that people warmed up to. He made you think a bit. He made you uncomfortable once in a while. And he made you tear up with laughter as well. For those things, I’ll always be grateful that I knew of him.

And, if you ever wish to turn to his pearls of wisdom to figure out the meaning of your existence here on earth…

Plastic. A$$HOLES!

Here’s a pretty revolting story of a young man who gets hassled by his school and the cops for something truly shocking.

No, he wasn’t peddling narcotics on a street corner. He wasn’t spraying obscenities on a bank building. He wasn’t even loitering in front of a convenience store.

He cited his First Amendment rights.

That’s right, guys and dolls. Police state mentality is here and it’s just as ugly as it could be.

The bad news is that Presidential candidate, Congressman Ron Paul has ended his bid for the White House. Paul announced his decision at a rally on Thursday, June 12, 2008.

Given a rough way to go by the corporate media and practically ignored by his own party, Paul was a miracle candidate — raising millions of dollars in donations, inspiring countless Meetup groups and grassroots volunteers and publishing a book that hit Amazon’s number one position the first day of retail offering.

There is absolutely no doubt that Paul’s strong anti-war message, dedication to public service and obedience to the rule of law and the Constitution turned peoples’ heads.

His supporters came from all walks of life, age groups, ethnic backgrounds and political leanings. He inspired me and my significant-other enough to change party affiliations so that we could vote for him in Florida’s primary election. We were far from the only people who took such a bold move.

The prospect of keeping American troops in Iraq should be a positively disturbing one. The massive cost and loss of life are enough to sicken you. Add to that the unConstitutional method of engaging and Iraq’s own Prime Minister calling for our departure and you have plenty of reason to put this mess in past. Yet, the Republican’s presumed nominee thinks that’s a bad move.

With over 70% of Americans polled disagreeing with the war and wanting American troops home, it’s mind-boggling to me that Ron Paul’s message of peace and liberty didn’t resonate. Again, the virtual media black-out may have a bit to do with that. My own mother thought he dropped out over 3 months ago — when, in fact, he didn’t.

Well, there is still some good news in all of this. One major ray of sunshine is Paul’s newly-formed Campaign for Liberty. The campaign will work to elect like-minded individuals to positions of public service.

From its Mission Statement:

The Campaign for Liberty will carry out its mission through the following activities:

1. Promoting candidates for public office who share our commitment to freedom.

2. Gaining a foothold in political life at every level of government by expanding our precinct leader program.

3. Educating the electorate and lobbying against harmful or unconstitutional legislation.

4. Encouraging the formation of discussion groups and book clubs at the local level to help people learn more about our ideas.

5. Establishing a speakers bureau to give presentations around the country about the great principles we champion.

6. Developing materials for homeschooling families, to help them educate their children in history, sound economics, and related fields.

7. Featuring written as well as video commentaries on the news and issues of the day.

8. Additional efforts as time and resources allow.

And, perhaps this was Ron Paul’s true calling, after all. Bringing people together to get a single but very important job done — restoring liberty.

Reading the news makes you wonder if such an undertaking is even possible. Body scanners in airports, nurses being thrown in jail for rescuing cops from burning cars. Certainly, it seems that those in power have completely and totally lost their ever-lovin’ minds.

So, it makes sense to replace those rogue authorities with people who still trust in the principles of the Constitution, the rule of law and the sovereignty of the individual.

As sad as I am to see him end his Presidential bid, Ron Paul hasn’t yet lost me. I’ll stick with the program until every corporate whore is out of Washington and people who understand the concept of public service replace them.

So, the Revolution hasn’t really ended. It’s only taken on a different shape. The purpose is still the same. The method is just a little bit different.