Frankly, I am appalled by all the fuss being made about the incident in Cambridge, Mass. between Professor Gates and Sergeant Crowley. If that isn’t an example of much ado about nothing, I don’t know what is. I don’t believe race had anything to do with the issue, nor should it. It looks to me as if the rather inflated ego of a Harvard professor came up against the rather rigid routine of the Cambridge Police Force. Better to be right than reasonable. A little humility and less confrontation would have probably put the issue to rest. We can all arm-chair about what was done vs. what should have been done, but I dare say most of us would be off base if we tried. For it to go all the way to the level of the President of the United States is nothing less than ludicrous! For Obama to have dignified it is a reflection on his judgment. The beer among the guys at the White House is, in my humble opinion, just another cheap bit of political theater. Who needs it?
Don’t you just love the way people lay in wait to pounce on anything that might be the least bit offensive? As a good friend of mine once observed, “Our relationship to life is rather like a pubic hair on the edge of a toilet. If you stay there long enough, someone is sure to come along and piss you off.” If you want to be offended, there is always someone willing to accommodate you.
We really get a lot of mileage out of the word “racist” these days. Television provides us with endless hours and days of detailed coverage and analysis of the most insignificant issues regarding race, just to keep stirring the shit. You can always count on Joan Walsh to appear, with her most pained facial expression, admonishing us as to why this is such an important issue that has to be addressed. Al Sharpton can be counted on to remind us why we are a racist society. As far as I am concerned, Al Sharpton is a racist. But, do I give a damn? Would I lose any sleep over it? Hardly. He is a free man and a free agent. If his diatribe gives meaning to his role in society, so be it.
From my perspective, I resent being portrayed as a “white” person. When I look in the mirror and the millions of others of my ilk, I don’t see “white” people, I see “pink” people. However, given our political and racial sensitivities, I have no doubt that if I referred to the likes of so-called “white” people as “pink” people, I would immediately be pounced on by the conservative right as a socialist or, worse, a communist. I shudder at the mere thought of the wrath of Sarah Palin coming down on my head. So, better to be politically correct and safe with the label “white.”
Then, there is all the smoke and mirrors over a national health plan. That the average person believes the massive numbers of lies and distortions of the issue, I am surprised it didn’t die a long time ago. But, I am reassured by some of the key players, as well, such as Mitch McConnell, who carries a perennial facial expression that looks as if he had just let a wet fart in polite company. Max Baucus is rather reminiscent of a fading Hollywood star whose face lift is dropping while he struggles in vain to look forever handsome. But, that is not all, as the hawkers on television remind us. Let us not forget the inimitable Joe Lieberman. His caricature is more akin to that of the Pillsbury Dough Boy. No one can really take him seriously. They just want to squeeze him. Every one of the heavy hitters on this issue is as crooked as a Roman Road. Why in the hell we dignify or place any stock in anything they have to say is beyond me.
I think we can do with a hell of a lot more maturity when it comes to being offended. As far as what the sleaze bags in Washington are doing to us, I think we could (and should) be far better informed and take less seriously those who are so blatantly compromised because of the total corruption of any character they might have left.
Other than that, let us all continue to play the violin while the empire burns. Life is grand!
Have a good day.
Cowboy Bob
July 30, 2009
P.S. Inspiration for the lead-in goes Walter Cronkite, one of the great journalists of our time.
Don’t you just love the way people lay in wait to pounce on anything that might be the least bit offensive? As a good friend of mine once observed, “Our relationship to life is rather like a pubic hair on the edge of a toilet. If you stay there long enough, someone is sure to come along and piss you off.” If you want to be offended, there is always someone willing to accommodate you.
We really get a lot of mileage out of the word “racist” these days. Television provides us with endless hours and days of detailed coverage and analysis of the most insignificant issues regarding race, just to keep stirring the shit. You can always count on Joan Walsh to appear, with her most pained facial expression, admonishing us as to why this is such an important issue that has to be addressed. Al Sharpton can be counted on to remind us why we are a racist society. As far as I am concerned, Al Sharpton is a racist. But, do I give a damn? Would I lose any sleep over it? Hardly. He is a free man and a free agent. If his diatribe gives meaning to his role in society, so be it.
From my perspective, I resent being portrayed as a “white” person. When I look in the mirror and the millions of others of my ilk, I don’t see “white” people, I see “pink” people. However, given our political and racial sensitivities, I have no doubt that if I referred to the likes of so-called “white” people as “pink” people, I would immediately be pounced on by the conservative right as a socialist or, worse, a communist. I shudder at the mere thought of the wrath of Sarah Palin coming down on my head. So, better to be politically correct and safe with the label “white.”
Then, there is all the smoke and mirrors over a national health plan. That the average person believes the massive numbers of lies and distortions of the issue, I am surprised it didn’t die a long time ago. But, I am reassured by some of the key players, as well, such as Mitch McConnell, who carries a perennial facial expression that looks as if he had just let a wet fart in polite company. Max Baucus is rather reminiscent of a fading Hollywood star whose face lift is dropping while he struggles in vain to look forever handsome. But, that is not all, as the hawkers on television remind us. Let us not forget the inimitable Joe Lieberman. His caricature is more akin to that of the Pillsbury Dough Boy. No one can really take him seriously. They just want to squeeze him. Every one of the heavy hitters on this issue is as crooked as a Roman Road. Why in the hell we dignify or place any stock in anything they have to say is beyond me.
I think we can do with a hell of a lot more maturity when it comes to being offended. As far as what the sleaze bags in Washington are doing to us, I think we could (and should) be far better informed and take less seriously those who are so blatantly compromised because of the total corruption of any character they might have left.
Other than that, let us all continue to play the violin while the empire burns. Life is grand!
Have a good day.
Cowboy Bob
July 30, 2009
P.S. Inspiration for the lead-in goes Walter Cronkite, one of the great journalists of our time.
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