Freedom Flyer 34

The big three - Tories, Grits and New Democrats - appear to be safe from the Freedom Party's "anti-candidates." But at least it's going to be an interesting ride from here to June 3 with a lot of F-words.

In the last two days, the Freedom Party's Andrew Falby and Wayne Forbes have been the talk of the Sarnia-Lambton and Lambton-Middlesex-Kent ridings, respectively.

Perhaps the two F-men are brash, politically incorrect or even strange. But they have added some juice to the usual rhetoric of tax cuts, health care and education, even if it isn't always intelligible.

We're not saying we support them, and we expect neither man will be the people's choice. But the Freedom's F-men will undoubtedly be the talk of the coffee shop. And they know it.

What would it take to be a grown man standing in front of a room of voters and tell the voters they're sheep to a "government of wolves," then urge them to sing their new national anthem: "Baaaaa. Baaaaa"?

Would this strategy work for Dave Boushy, Caroline Di Cocco or Mark Kotanen? Of course not. But, when Falby introduced his barnyard bleating at a Rotarian meeting on Monday, he knew he is unlikely to be elected, so he might as well garner the support of those who admire a gutsy sense of humour, and be a monkey wrench in the system.

L-M-K candidate Forbes was less impressive. He quaked nervously in front of 200 North Lambton Secondary students yesterday, and was all over the map with what he considers the important issues of this campaign.

But his support for legalizing marijuana turned heads, raised eyebrows and transformed an apathetic crowd of teenagers into a surprised and murmuring one, which cheered as the 58-year-old walked up for his final words.

He's an admitted pot-smoker, and supports the legalization of marijuana. Roll that up and smoke it.

An admission of that sort would likely be political death for Marcel Beaubien, Larry O'Neill and Jim Lee, but Forbes has barely had a political birth. He has nothing to lose.

Although some of the local F-men's political performances are coming out of left field, it is the price of democracy. They are clear evidence that our political system is open to everyone.