Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: Politics Style

I love to play this silly game called Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: where you name an actor and then, in six movies or less, you have to connect them to a movie that Kevin Bacon was in. It’s silly and trivial but, well, so am I.

I’ve been noticing this game being played out in politics all month. It’s a fun little guilty-by-association game. Six Degrees of Desperation, if you will. And both sides are playing. Hard. Here are some of the gems I’ve heard online this week:

1. Obama is on the board of a charity for education
2. A University of Chicago professor is on the charity board
3. This professor planted bombs in the 60’s protesting the Vietnam war
DING! DING! DING!
4. Obama pals around with terrorists

1. John McCain sought the endorsement of evangelical leader John Hagee
2. John Hagee said some crap about Hitler fulfilling God’s will
DING! DING! DING!
3. John McCain is anti-semitic

1. Obama goes to a prominent Black church in chicago
2. The church calls their members to upholding, supporting, and creating pride in the Black community
3. Black people who support the Black community must not like white people
DING! DING! DING!
4. Obama hates white people

1. Sarah Palin goes to Wasilla Bible Church
2. Palin’s pastor had a guest speaker from the Jews for Jesus organization
3. The speaker suggested that terrorism in Israel was divine retribution for rejecting Christianity
DING! DING! DING!
4. Sarah Palin thinks the Jews are getting what they deserve

1 The pastor of Obama’s church used to be Revered Wright
2. Reverend Wright read a book by James Cone written 40 years ago
3. James Cone said, using some extreme hyperbole, that he “will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy”
DING! DING! DING!
4. Obama wants to kill white people

WOW! This games is even more fun than the Hollywood version. I mean, if I spin things enough, I can make anybody look like a complete and total A-hole. I LOVE POLITICS!!

And according to this theory of being guilty of your friends’ past actions or public remarks, Mark and I are in big trouble. Because based on this logic and our own circle of friends, we are guilty of supporting adulturers, drug dealers, extortionists, mobsters, communists, drunks, homosexuals, and white supremacists. And that’s only the junk we know about! Who knows what dirty secrets abound in the lives of Mark’s fellow charity board members. And I love the idea of being held accountable for everything said from the pulpit of the churches I have attended.

Oh, I know. I know. We do need to look at who a person associates themselves with. We must be responsible for what other people around us say or do. I mean, who would want a leader who knowingly hung out with prostitutes, or tax collectors, or blatant sinners? That would be CRAZY.

PS This is my own discovery, and one no other media outlet is willing to talk about. But I noticed, and felt I needed to bring to your attention:

1. The AKIBA Christian bookstore sells a Max Lucado book
2. The AKIBA Christian bookstore sells a Chuck Swindoll book
3. The AKIBA Christian boostore sells the aforementioned James Cone book
DING! DING! DING!
4. Max Lucado and Chuck Swindoll hate white people