mean-dogAccording to Marietta Daily Journal columnist, Dick Yarbrough, the city council ought not ban dogs from two city parks but train them to attack the gay men who are having sex there.

Councilman Van Pearlberg is talking about banning dogs from the park. That is a bad idea. With a little instruction, dogs could be taught to severely dislike the gay lovers in Burruss and Wildwood and bite them in the fanny and do what City Council should have done years ago – chase them off to Atlanta where they belong.

I don’t know if Mr. Yarbrough is somewhat serious about his solution to this park problem.  I do wonder if his solution would be quite so violent if the couples in question were straight teens or husbands and wives.  I seriously doubt, in any case, that he would demand that straight couples be run back to Atlanta “where they belong.”

Where does satire cross a line?  I would say just about where Mr. Yarbrough landed.  Had he been writing about African-Americans or Hispanics, I’m betting his editor would have pulled the plug.  Yet, violence against gays and lesbians is fair game.  Apparently advocating hate crime is a satirical solution that tickles Mr. Yarbrough’s funny bone.