Listening to a funny and relentless condemnation of the American Imperium and its current government from [book]Gore Vidal[/book], I felt rather sorry for the American ambassador who was in the audience. It was clear the feelings of the audience were very much with Gore Vidal, and very much against everything it is the ambassador’s job to push.

It was not even an audience that was particularly hostile to America. While the third world location might suggest an explanation, the audience were largely affluent people who have done better than most out of the current world order.

In any case the Sri Lankan’s, although the largest group, were not in a clear majority. The English speaking word was fairly well represented. it was hardly an unbiased sample as the occasion, the Galle Literary Festival, obviously attracts people who are reasonably educated and literate, but I see no comfort for the ambassador in that.