Idiot
of the Year
by Bob Barr
 Radio
talk show host and former Congressman Bob Barr recently announced
the winner of the dubious title "Idiot of the Year." After
searching the world high and low throughout 2004 for idiots of all
kinds, Barr named Stevens Creek School Principal Patricia Vidmar
of Los Angeles, California the 2004 Idiot of the Year.
Vidmar made headlines in 2004 for banning the teaching
materials, including excerpts from the Declaration of Independence,
of fifth-grade teacher Steven William--claiming the religious content
of the materials violated the Separation Clause of the Constitution.
Full
Story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6578096/
In announcing the awards, Barr said, There is never
a shortage of idiots, but, Principal Vidmar takes the cake! The
idea that quotes from the Declaration of Independence are unconstitutional
is absolute non-sense and shows political correctness gone full
circle.
Barr also named nine Idiot of the Year runners up,
in order were:
2nd Place - Puyallup School District in Washington
State for canceling Halloween because it is considered disrespectful
to witches.
Full
Story: http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=184701&page=1
3rd Place - Benton County, Oregon for banning all
marriages because he was confused over whether it was legal to issue
marriage certificates for same sex couples.
Full
Story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3564893.stm
4th Place - Livermore City Council in California
for offering spelling-challenged artist Maria Alquilar (see 5th
Place Award) another $6,000 to correct misspellings on a $40,000
library mosaic.
Full
Story: http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2004/10/07/mural_spelling041007.html
5th Place - Artist Maria Alquilar who misspelled
eleven words (including the names of Einstein, Shakespeare, Van
Gogh and Michelangelo) on a library mosaic and then refused to make
corrections citing the nasty messages from upset locals.
Full
Story:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi%3Ffile=/c/a/2004/10/09/MNGSK96KS21.DTL
6th Place - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for
allowing his signature to be auto-penned on condolence letters to
the families of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Full
Story - http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/19/rumsfeld.signature/
7th Place - Mexico City Dentist Reynaldo Mendez
who pulled out a running chainsaw as a joke on a patient stating,
This won't hurt a bit. The patient had a heart attack and died and
Mendez has been charged with second degree murder.
Full
Story: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/columnists/porters_people/7925818.htm
8th Place - Robert Gulley who showed up drunk to
apply for job as a Washington State Patrol officer. He was subsequently
ticketed when he tried to drive off the police parking lot.
Full
Story: http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=1778570
9th Place - Superior Court Judge John D. Harris
who allegedly made advances on a rape victim after the sentencing
hearing for the womans attacker.
Full
Story: http://www.nbc4.tv/news/3002398/detail.html
10th Place - Target for banning Salvation Army bell
ringers from the doors of Target stores during Christmas citing
a corporate policy against solicitors.
Full
Story: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6708024/
Bob Barrs Laws of the Universe airs on Sundays
from 6:00-8:00 PM EST. The talk show, a light hearted look at the
world of politics, airs Sunday evenings and is carried nationwide
on the Radio America Network.
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