Last night’s 8pm episode of The Simpsons, proved once again why I believe it is the smartest comedy on television. Originally airing last month, “Pranksta Rap” was a deftly written satire of how we look the other way instead tackeling hard issues and calling the truth truth. The episode guide describes this episode as,

Bart sneaks out of the house to attend a forbidden rap concert. When Marge and Homer discover he is missing, Bart fakes his own kidnapping to prevent being grounded. It is up to Springfield’s finest to save him. Of course, no one has any faith in bumbling police Chief Clancy Wiggum. Inspired by an apparition of Barney Fife, Wiggum vows to rescue Bart. Meanwhile, Bart is hiding out in Kirk Van Houten’s bachelor pad unbeknownst to Kirk. Wiggum cracks the case, Bart is rescued, and Kirk wrongfully goes to jail. Wiggum is promoted to Police Commissioner and Kirk becomes a lady’s man among the felon-loving singles of Springfield. Lisa searches for the truth and discovers that the kidnapping was all a hoax and everyone goes back as it was before.

Seems harmless enough. What the guide doesn’t tell you is that everyone except Lisa is fine with the lie. When Bart, Homer, Wiggum, and Kirk are caught in their lies they… throw a party! Everything is ok. No lesson learned, no sappy music. Just Homer cannonballing into the pool.

In my humble opinion, the writers were criticizing the nations aparent indifference to the “truth” about the Iraq war. Although, I do not believe that we were lied to about the belief that Saddam had WMDs, I do believe that, in order to keep the status quo, no one has been held accountable for mistakes. I understand completely that I am an armchair commander at this point. I am thankful that we do live in a country where our leaders, for the most part, do look out for us. I just have a hollow feeling about the aftermath here in America. I pray that those in Iraq will come to love freedom. The elections were an amazing step forward. I know that wonderful things have happened but, does the end truly justify the means? Who knows, maybe I’m looking into the episode tooooooooo much.

I appreciate the writers of the Simpsons for tackeling the issue of truth and justice in such a great manner. It wasn’t scathing but it was powerful. It caused me to think. Imagine that!