A Caricature of Itself

You may recall the joke to the effect that in the event of nuclear war, the New York Times' headline would be "ATOMIC ATTACK -- MINORITIES & WOMEN SUFFER."

But that's just a joke.

Today's Times has a story that recounts the exploits of three college students, wandering around town at three in the morning. Drunk? Don't know. But they asked a cop for directions to their own house. They started a fire, setting ablaze an exterior decoration attached to someone's home. The fire was put out before it could spread, and the fellows are charged (duh!) with arson.

The Times headline? You already guessed, didn't you:

Three Yale Students Arrested for Burning a Flag

With any other provenance, we'd be inclined to think this was intended to be funny. But reactionary religious fundamentalists -- like the New York Times -- are notoriously humorless.

Story HERE.