Jonah: You forgot to mention vampirism. On The Corner, we supply America’s most pertinent vampire commentary. Which brings me, inevitably, to the subject of your column. Here’s my two cents on the importance of enemies, from NRODT:
The evolution of vampires, Grinches, and witches is a variation on the theme of defining deviancy down. There was a time when we knew a monster when we saw one — and understood that some nasties need to have their heads chopped off and their mouths stuffed with garlic. Nowadays, however, vampirism and its related maladies are just alternative lifestyles. Condemning them is an unforgivable rendering of judgment and a crime against the imperatives of moral relativism. A society that has trouble recognizing monsters in its art probably will have difficulty identifying terrorists at its airports.