Today

at noon I watched the funeral for Rosa Parks. I was baffled, at first, that none of the major networks were carrying it. I saw The Price is Right and The View and Ellen, but the funeral for the catalyst of the civil rights movement was nowhere to be found. "Only on CNN," my dear friend EmEl lamented. "One of the most profound historical moments in American history, and it's only covered on CNN."

So we watched. And suddenly, in the middle of a old Negro spiritual, Gee Dubya burst in. Breaking news. He's having lunch with the future King of England. They're shaking hands!

Rosa Park's funeral and not only is the most prominant Republican on the planet not there, but the only network covering the event considers news of his lunch date far more pressing.

If that's not an illustration of the degradation of society, then I just don't know what is.