Saw this over at Boing Boing and it’s simply a great video. I’m sure Glen Beck would find fault, but I sure don’t.
People need to realize that as long as one person has their rights taken away due to who they are, then all of our rights are challenged.
A few months ago when the Philadelphia Eagles signed convicted dog killer/fighter and quarterback Michael Vick, it opened a firestorm of controversy. After Roman Polanksi was arrested in Switzerland, I wondered where was the same outrage. Among the arguments we heard about Michael Vick were as follows:
“Come on, man, she’s 13. Thirteen! I’ve seen some hot 16-year-olds that look 18, 17[-year-olds] that look 18…Thirteen is 13. Nobody gets away with having sex with a 13-year-old.” Chris Rock
One wonders why Polanski has scores of defenders and Vick none. It’s something that always bothered me about the Vick outrage was that it was disproportionate with the crime in relation to reaction to other crimes. The reaction to Vick was part in response to his stature and visibility as an NFL quarterback, but I believe also a response to the person. Poor, not highly educated, black – none of these things work in his favor.
“In the United States, we want to capture Osama Bin Laden and murder him. We’re not gonna rape him. That would be barbaric!” Chris Rock
If anything deserves your outrage, it’s the Polanski crime and the support he has received since being arrested. Thank goodness for the common sense responses by Chris Rock, Jay Leno, and Kirstie Alley.
What do you think?
So a state investigation has ruled that the Valley Swim Club in Montgomery County, PA did discriminate against 56 black and Hispanic children when they cancelled their agreement to swim at the club. The findings state that racial comments by members led to the canceling of the contract. In addition to having to return the contract fee, they were fined $50,000.
I notice that the report says of out of 334 members of the club, not one is black. They tried to hide this fact earlier in the summer saying they did have minority members. Maybe they were counting the landscapers (I’m not stereotyping, when I was there I did see black landscapers).
I have to say it couldn’t happen to nicer folks. I hope their club goes bankrupt and the members have to swim at a public pool.
Today I couldn’t avoid the right-wing assholes. The Phillies happen to be on the same radio station as Limbaugh, so when I got in my car this morning who else but Limbaugh blaring his fascist drivel; quick switch to the iPod. Then when I returned home, I checked the mail and who’s on the front of Time but Glenn Beck.
Quick use of a Sharpie saved the day. Much improved, don’t you think?
Does it bother anyone else that Texas, the state with the most executions since 1976 with 437 of them, also leads the nation in freeing the wrongly convicted? My major problem with the death penalty has always been the finality of it in a system rife with corruption, inaccuracies, and subjectivity. For the 38 people that Texas has let go based on DNA evidence exonerating them, this is good news. And Texas seems to be doing a good job by making sure that these people are properly compensated.
But it makes me wonder how many of the 437 that were executed, would have been exonerated.
The most dangerous thing that most of us do on a daily basis is get behind the wheel and drive. Not only do we have to watch out for our own driving, we have to watch for other drivers out there. Yet many of us make the task harder by knowingly distracting ourselves by talking on the phone.
I’ve read a few articles over the past few weeks and listened to a few interviews that impressed on me that talking on the phone, regardless of using a hands free device, is incredibly dangerous and needs to be stopped. Most of us know this, yet many of us do it.
I’ve often thought of the time in the car as wasted time, using that time to call clients or to catch up with friends. My car has a bluetooth system that Ford offers called Microsoft Sync, it allows me to hands free dial and talk through the stereo system without having a phone to my ear. But it’s not the act of having a phone by your ear that’s dangerous, it’s the lack of focus. A few years ago I was on the phone with a friend I hadn’t talked to in awhile; I had my headset on, no big deal right? I drove past my exit on the turnpike and ended up being late to my client meeting. I’ve heard the term inattention blindness used a lot – this is what happens, people have their eyes straight ahead, but they see nothing; they’re minds are on the phone and their minds are elsewhere. You may ask why is driving a car with a passenger any different? Studies have found having an adult passenger in the car actually makes you a safer driver.
Local governments seem to be doing little about it. Pennsylvania debated a cell phone bill this year, but it was voted down because lawmakers thought it would infringe on civil liberties. Some states have made talking on the phone a secondary driving offense, meaning you can’t be stopped for it, but if you’re stopped for something else, you’ll receive a ticket. Secondary offense status is essentially useless except for politicians who want to say they’ve done something. What bothers me is the lack of education on the subject. I believe that this could be attacked the same way that wearing seat belts or drunk driving was. Education won’t stop everyone, but it would cut down the accidents and fatalities.
Here are some facts I found from Nationwide’s website:
Since many people don’t readily admit they were on a cell phone during an accident, these numbers may be higher.
Here are some things that you can do:
I know everyone thinks “not me, I’m a great driver and talking and driving doesn’t affect me”. A lot of people think that – I’m an excellent driver – one accident in almost 25 years of driving. I’m doing this because there are so many bad drivers out there, and drivers talking and driving, I need 100% of my attention on the road. You do too.
More information:
Note to everyone – if you have to say “I am not a racist” on the Larry King show, then chances are you are a racist. It seems that many people don’t realize what racism is. There is some misguided belief that unless you kill someone or assault someone physically, that you’re all well and good. That calling someone nigger or chink or whatever doesn’t rise to the level of racist behavior. Last week Boston Police officer Justin Barrett was suspended for sending an email were he referred to Henry Gates Jr. as a “banana eating jungle monkey” three times and referred to Boston Globe columnist’s article about the Gates arrest as “jungle monkey gibberish”. Yet he appeared on the Larry King show to say he is not a racist. Really? Then – really, who is a racist?
“I am not a racist” has become a refrain that is all too familiar in these days of the “post-racial” society. Barrett’s lawyer contends that this was private communication from a private computer, to which I say that once it became public it doesn’t matter; Bartlett is a government employee and once his acts become public, then their review is fair. It’s what you do in private that identifies you as racist or not. Racists generally aren’t running down the streets wearing white robes and masks yelling “Nigger, nigger, nigger.” Racists at least are interested in self-preservation and keep their racist thoughts and speech to the like minded. It’s when this speech is moved public where action is demanded. His lawyer says that cops that do cocaine get their jobs back and that Barrett doesn’t deserve to be fired. To that I say that drugs are an addiction, and there are many recovered addicts that are benefits to society. Officer Justin Barrett is a racist, and as such can not be recovered to the point to where they can be trusted to protect the public.
There are enough bad cops out there that we’re not sure of. Let’s get rid of the ones we know are bad.