Category Archives: racism

Worst week ever: Don Imus edition

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I’ve been laid off before and it doth sucketh. The only thing that has to suck harder is being fired not once, but twice, in a 24 hour period. Well Don Imus has been fired by both NBC and CBS in the past day. (ABC and Fox are debating whether or not to fire Imus even though he apparently works for neither).

It’s amazing how much of a story this has become. Because it involved two basketball teams, it’s a sports story and entertainment on top of being a national news story so we get to see it on ESPN and the E network as well as on CNN. Add to this that in the Youtube generation, the embarrassment gets forwarded and watched on demand. Imus is getting more press coverage than George Bush did the day after election day last year.

The funny thing is it isn’t like no one knew Imus thought this way. He has a history of saying racist, sexist comments and at no time did he risk losing his job. He is being fired for simply doing what he did daily for years. The difference is that he dared to make his employers and sponsors look bad. Don’t get drawn in by the stern statements and finger wagging – if this had quickly disappeared from page 1, he’d be saying the same shit tomorrow. No, what he did wrong was to embarrass them and the result is that they need to publicly distance themselves from him. This firing won’t change his mind or the minds of anyone like him. What it will do is remind every bigot that it’s better to keep your thoughts to themselves. Honestly I prefer my bigots to wear white hoods and robes. The devil you know…

So Don Imus is without a job and CBS and MSNBC (as well as the sponsors) can act as if none of this happened. Staples and American Express will simply move their ad dollars to Limbaugh and not skip a beat. The bad man has been banished. Unfortunately the people who created and enabled the bad man are free to do it again – and we can’t fire them.

At some point these corporations need to be held responsible for the words their employees spout. No more “The views expressed by the racist, bigoted, asshole we’re paying millions of dollars to, do not represent the views of the company making big money” bullshit.

Imus has every right to say and think what he wants. But his getting paid for it is what really is the shame of it all.

The rare beast: the sincere apology (Michael Richards)

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It’s been the buzz of the Internet today – Michael Richards’ racist rant. I was awaiting the apology and during the Letterman show, I received it. Through the benefit of fortunate timing (or unfortunate depending on your perspective) Jerry Seinfeld was scheduled to appear to talk up the season 7 release of Seinfeld tomorrow. When they say any PR is good PR – I don’t think they meant this.

The apology was hard to watch. Never has there been a more obviously unrehearsed public apology in the era of publicists and spin-masters. Richards at times went off on rants about racism and what happened in New Orleans; he couldn’t finish thoughts – he was all over the place. And this is what made this apology one of the first sincere apologies I’ve heard in some time.

He didn’t utter those four words included in every public apology “If I offended anyone…” . He didn’t blame it on alcoholism, drug addiction, obesity, an angry mother, etc.

Note: I believe racists utter racist comments. So don’t tell me what he said meant nothing, I think comments like his or Mel Gibson’s come from somewhere; they’re not just words. This will be the end of Richards’ career – Mel Gibson had one thing to fall back on: he’s FUCKING MEL GIBSON. Richards? Well even when Seinfeld was on the air he wouldn’t be able to overcome this.

Good ole politics – Southern style

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We’re in the final stretch of the 2006 mid-term elections and there are some interesting stories about the new era of politics and elections here in the United States.

It’s tough being a black man running for any office in the United States. Add to that being a single black man running for senator in Tennessee, then you’ve really got the deck stacked against you. Harold Ford is running for Senator as an independent and is making a race of it when none was expected. It is so much of a race, the following ad was commissioned and run against him.

WPvideo 1.10
Political Ad – Harold Ford

This ad might as well said: “Harold Ford – this black man wants your white women – don’t vote for him.” I wish I could be surprised by the lack of class and taste, and I wish I could be surprised at the level of implied racism, but I’m not. Watch the hours of political ads you see and they are short on issues and long on innuendo and outright lies.

Harold Ford reaction to this week’s gay rights ruling in New Jersey was also interesting. Whether or not he’s actually against it is up for debate, but as a single man running for office after Mark Foley and the Republicans provided us with Foleygate, he took the opportunity to make it be known that he’s “likes girls.” As a matter of fact, he’s said as much during this campaign. When asked about attending a Playboy party during the 2004 Super Bowl he responded “I like football and I like girls.”

I also don’t email pages, dirty messages – that’s unless their girls, cause I like girls.

I can’t say that I blame him though – he can be principled and not discuss it, but being principled doesn’t get you elected.

The stakes are high this year and we’re seeing tactics that we’ve never seen before. Like today: we drove past an ad that read “Bush supports Fitzpatrick. You’re doin’ an heckuva job!” Obviously this ad was placed by the Democrats (love the subtle Brownie/Katrina quote) here in Pennsylvania in order to tie Mike Fitzpatrick (R. PA) to George Bush. How amazing that a political strategy by the Democrats is to tie a Republican to a sitting Republican President.
In this current election it seems like there are so many newbies running and all I have to say is thank god. I’m tired of career politicians and anytime I hear an ad say “Patrick Murphy has no experience” that is a vote for Patrick Murphy from me.

What the hell has all this experience gotten us?

Sen. Allen uses the “N” word – does it matter?

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Senator George Allen has a career that seems destined in ending with the title President being added to his name.   He’s been a governor, a senator, played football, and was son a legendary football coach.   The fact that he appears to be a racist will probably only add to his stature, much less hurt him.   It’s not as if there hasn’t been a history of all this before.   From his use of racial slurs to describe Native Americans as well as Blacks to his affinity to the American symbol of racism, the confederate flag.

What I wonder is: does this cost or garner votes or for Allen?

Four former teamates have confirmed that Allen regularly referred to blacks by using the “N” word; yet he denies it.   Our country forgives politicians – the fact that George W. Bush is a second term President just goes to show that, but what Allen has said should preclude him from public office.   He may be good at it, and he may have the background, and desire to deal with all the shit that comes with serving our country, but fact is that there are better people out there – people who aren’t racist good ol’ boys.   Those people probably ran against him and lost.   He is what America wants.   No surer sign of the demise of this country than to see that people like him are still elected for office.

Maybe we’ll get lucky and somehow him and others like him will be banished by the voters.   We’re on our way to getting rid of Santorum and Catherine Harris.   Maybe it’s time someone finally said no to Allen.

Hurricane Katrina: One year later

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I have to admit that I have allowed Katrina to slip my mind. I am ashamed to admit that I haven’t followed the situation the way I wanted to. I sit here in my suburban malaise thankful for what I have, but not having thought about the people from New Orleans the way I should have.

I’ve forgotten the dead bodies. The bungling of the response. The lies from our elected officials. The apparent disregard for those of us that are Continue reading →

Oh Kanye – hire a speech writer

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I’ve finally seen the entire video of Kanye West’s rant on Friday night’s charity concert. I wish West’s statement had been a bit more eloquent, well thought out, and less emotional than he was because for the most part, I agree with it.

It is universally accepted that the United States, state of Lousiana, and city of New Orleans were not prepared for Katrina. While West put the blamed racism, I think that his assessment puts too much focus on race and not enough on class. I don’t think that the govermnet let people die intentionally. I do think that the lack of preparation is because a poorer area like New Orleans does not get the attention or dollars needed to solve the problems that ail them. We knew this would happen some day but no one did a thing. Don’t tell me there wasn’t money. The government decided to spend its money elsewhere. Elsewhere means places like Alaska where $941 million in pet highway projects such as a mile- long bridge serving 50 residents and costing $223 million. What would that money have done forthe Levee situation in Lousiana?

The rich can pick up the phone and demand that something be done. They can actually reach their congressmen and senators and get a response; poor people can’t do this and therefore rely on their local representatives to demand their fare share.

Part of the problem are the assumptions that were made prior to the hurricane. The city was evacuated; every man and woman for themselves, but if you’re poor and don’t own a car how do you leave? And once you leave, where do you go? How do you afford it? There have been stories of price gouging by hotels as well as the gas prices doing what they’ve done. How can the poor afford it? Those of us that make a living wage don’t concern ourselves with these types of issues.

My point is that every government dollar we waste in this country on fabulous sports stadiums, keeping military bases open that aren’t needed, raising politician salaries is a dollar that is taken away from the people that need the money the most.

Kanye West sounded like a madman. Because of this, I fear that the point he was trying to make will be dismissed. It shouldn’t be lost. We as a country failed these people. They were forgotten and we could have done better. We had a choice and the question is why didn’t we make the correct one?