Column from our local paper. Stop being stupid.

Stupid people need a dose of smarts. JAY CRONLEY World Staff Columnist. This is important. Everybody who is being stupid needs to stop it. You're ruining everything. They're making sitcoms for you. They're making movies for you. They're making tweets for you. They're arranging the 10 o'clock news for you. They're designing jeans for you. They're creating forensic cop shows for you. They're making exercise clothes for you. Worst yet, they're designing political campaigns for you. Being stupid is being unable to have an original thought. How do you get better? Every so often you read something great, and every once in a while you sit quietly and think about doing something wonderful. Lowest common denominator: Political campaigns seem aimed at people who think along bloodlines and party lines. Those with a political bias aren't preaching to the choir. They're preaching to the choirmasters. They're preaching to those who couldn't sing it any other way. Independents will decide the country's next direction. If you're wondering what the party-line people are doing, the answer is: It's the mean season, each side doing unto its own what you wish the other side wasn't doing to its own. Give fifty bucks to each party and you'll get materials aimed at cave dwellers with questions like these: Do you favor President Obama taking your hard-earned money and giving it to deadbeats? How do you feel about the tea party's plans to use your Social Security contributions to fund business expansion in China? It is doubtful that Hank Williams Jr. or Keith Olbermann could convince many to change their minds. (Channels, maybe.) I think, therefore I am: Independents aren't smarter than all party members. Smarter than those running the campaigns, sure. Here's what many independents are like: They can't be frightened. They can't be charmed. They can't be bullied. They know fake talk when they hear it. Here's something funny about what dominates television, not funny humorous, funny ironic: Independents dislike obvious bias more than anything. Votes are usually awarded in one of two ways. Best ideas win. Or most offensive loses..