Now with 50% less shame, too!

If you're looking for the quintessential Maddox article, look no more. The Guiltless Grill article is a perfect sample of both the best and worst of Maddox.

On the positive side, we have a compellingly written, cogent argument that may use facts sparingly, but often enough and with enough verification that we can be reasonably certain about trusting them. The fourth paragraph is a perfect example - the argument that the meal cannot be guiltless even if the deaths were unintentional, since the purchaser of the meal would have to be aware of the damage caused, is beautifully reasoned. Properly cleaned and polished, it could hold its own against any editorial from any newspaper in the country.

On the other hand though, we've got the ingredients that made Maddox into an Internet sensation, and his articles far more popular than those editorials - invective, insults, imprecation, and intolerance. All vegetarians, for instance, are lumped together as one large group, and Maddox ignores the fact that some vegetarians might disagree with the ones being referenced in this article. Profanity litters the page, and in some places actually makes the text harder to read, as the reader must wade through curses to find the narrative thread.

Maddox, however, isn't trying to appeal to those who might be offended by this article. By making his writings so angry and coarse, he appeals to the young, to those who are already angry or annoyed, to those who simply want a good laugh. Much like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, he uses the style of his presentation to attract a broader audience, the better to spread his message - in this case, a condemnation of some vegetarians' hypocrisy. Groups like Mothers Against Maddox are never going to enjoy his work, but that's because he's not writing to please them.

So, is Maddox a good choice for a source of news? Nope. A place to get your opinions? No again. It's not intended for anything other than providing humor, and just maybe sparking thought. Sometimes, it takes a bit of fire in the speech to start that spark.