Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Post-Racial America Not So "Post"


Well, I waited two years to come back to this, because, frankly, I knew it was coming. I just kept my mouth shut. I didn't write about politics at all simply because I knew that anything negative I had to say at all about the current administration would be called "racist" and then dismissed. We were supposed to be behind all this... we were supposed to be a "post-racial" society now. I mean, I'm not a child, I know that racism still exists, but...we elected a black president, that didn't happen because all of the white folks stayed home that November...surely we should be done looking under the bed for whitey the racist bogeyman, right? Oh, no. No, no, no, no. Just this week- Jessie Jackson equates LeBron James to a runaway slave because Cavs owner Dan Gilbert said a few mean things about him. This was about loyalty! This was about basketball! This was not a plantation owner whipping a fugitive slave! All the Rev. Jackson should have had to say was, "Well, I bet this hurts for Cleveland, but Miami must be pretty excited!" Then, the big story is the NAACP putting together a resolution (what ever good that does) calling for "The Tea Party" to stop harboring bigots and racists. OK...#1- there IS no "Tea Party." It's not like the Democrat party or the Republican Party. It's a name given to a movement to symbolize the frustration a lot of people have over high taxes and big government. So there is no leadership, okay? No one has a "Tea Party" ID card. Anyone can show up at these tea party events, and sometimes there are going to be A-holes. That's just the way it is in a free society. #2- Aside from a picture of Obama with a Hitler mustache, no one has any evidence that there even ARE any racists showing up at these things. Breitbart offered $100,000 to anyone who had proof that Emanuel Cleaver, a black congressman from Missouri, had been spat upon...no one has claimed the prize, as far as I know, and that's a lot of money, so you'd think someone would have at least tried to fake a video. So...what's all the hubbub? And don't let me forget Mel the Jew-hating Gibson! I couldn't belive he was back in the news! Here's the danger of alcohol, my friends-take a guy who can make a great movie like Braveheart, The Patriot, or The Road Warrior but then get so amazingly drunk that he drools out racist and sexist garbage during a fight with his girlfriend, not remembering the last time he tied one on and insulted the entire population of Jews in this world and, not only ruined his career, but sparked up a debate on whether or not most people are closet racists. "Was it just the booze, or is Mel finally showing us who he really is?" Who the hell knows? The guy's an actor, when was the last time he was ever himself? Throw booze into the mix, and it's kind of suprising he didn't blame all of the world's problems on the Underpants Gnomes from South Park! The guy is an idiot...and yeah, he's probably a racist, even if Whoopie Goldberg says hes not. But does it need that much discussion? Is Mel the Jew-hating Gibson keeping you from getting a job? Is Dan Gilbert holding you down? Did Sarah palin and the Tea Party gang show up on your lawn with a burning cross? Enough, already! The only way to solve the problem of racism in America is to be a good person, be a hard worker, be a respectful neighbor, be a good samaritan...be a person FIRST. People will think what they will of you, some will like you, some will hate you (yes, even without a valid reason), and some will have no opinion at all. Will we ever get rid of racism in America? Doubt it. It would help, though, if people wouldn't assume I'm a racist just because I voted for McCain and I'm a white guy. I don't see a "black" entertainer in Eddie Murphy anymore than I see a "white" entertainer in Steve Martin. I just see funny. So it shouldn't be a question that when I see our president, I don't see a "black" president. I see a great orator who can't govern for crap. The only race I'm interested in is the Presidential Race in 2012.
I robbed the picture above from http://www.dreamstime.com/ It seemed appropriate.
Edit: Thanks to Dan Sanders for pointing out that Bill Cosby is NOT funny. The change has been made accordingly. LOL!