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Of Racism and Prejudice

4/27/2014

Racism seems to have been a more visible theme this week in the media.

There's the rancher out west who's been grazing his cattle on federal lands for years without paying for the privilege because he doesn't view the federal government as legitimate. Then, later in his 15 minutes of fame/shame, he talked about the "Negro" and how "Negro" men may have been better off when they were slaves and learning to pick cotton

There's the (white) basketball owner out west who apparently was caught on tape with his former girlfriend (who is part black) saying he doesn't want her being photographed with blacks or bringing them to his team's games anymore. And this after other public episodes of his prejudices over the years. And this while a group of talented, primarily black, men are leading his team, from which he earns millions, through the NBA playoffs.

I'm not sure exactly sure what can be said about either of these people They are idiots.

Cable news can fill their air time talking about these idiots. But, the fact will remain, these men are idiots.

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From UConn to D.C. to Malaysia

4/9/2014

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The University of Connecticut is the center of the basketball universe today. Being a Connecticut native I, of course, take pride in their accomplishments. Geno Auriemma, the women's basketball coach at UConn, seems to have mellowed a bit over the years and now that he has become one of the most successful coaches ever (in any sport) seems to have stopped acting like he's the best but no one knows it. And the men overcame a year's suspension and embarrassment, and a number seven seed, to win their championship under a new coach to climb their hill. Both championships in Storrs, Conn. Those kids, after all their hard work, deserve to feel as I'm sure they feel today -- proud.
The liberal former president Lyndon Baines Johnson, long relegated to the far pastures by his party, is enjoying a resurgence. "Liberal" is back to being a seven-letter word rather than a four-letter word as it has been since LBJ's time. Republicans "dined off" the word "liberal" for many elections. Democrats ran from it, Republicans pasted it on their foreheads. Today, though, liberals are making a comeback, and so is LBJ. He deserves to be remembered for his landmark work in civil rights. And the Great Society had its good points. Welcome back, LBJ.
George H.W. Bush has been going through his own resurgence. "41" is being recognized for his civility, for his great foreign policy successes not to mention the Americans with Disabilities Act and other domestic wins. The JFK Library Foundation is giving him its Profiles in Courage Award for reneging on his "Read My Lips" pledge. He did the right thing. The right thing turned his right flank against him, adding to the reasons he was a one-term president. I'm very happy that he's getting the recognition he deserves. Civility isn't what it used to be. But "41" was and is the class of the field.
Secretary of State John Kerry is taking heat because there are huge things going on in foreign policy with little success or impact by the U.S., it seems. The Middle East, well, who has solved that? And who ever will? Crimea? Putin is demonstrating more of why he is a thug who listens to no one. And is it worth fighting a war over? Sen. John McCain gave Kerry hell yesterday over the "failures." I've never been a big Kerry fan, but he is finally in his dream job and working extremely hard. Success, we shall see if he can achieve that.
That Malaysian plane is still missing. Now with the technology and numbers of people from all over the world engaged in the search, it's baffling why they haven't located it yet. I don't blame the Malaysian government for not finding it, but I do think this episode is showing the world why leaders of that country are unsophisticated in the ways of international norms, diplomacy and PR. They have survived in the past by focusing internally, controlling their media and thinking only of themselves. Their politics is nasty and anti-Semitic. The world got to see a taste of how they are.
The U.S. Secret Service is a mess. Now, let's not taint all the members of that service with the same brush. But if any witnessed the inappropriate behavior that's gone on, then those folks are guilty too if they did nothing about it. You can't have people assigned to protect the president falling asleep drunk in a hotel hallway. How do you fix the problem when you are dealing not only with human beings, but human beings who may, in the next second, jump in front of a bullet? You don't solve it all but you do have consequences for inappropriate and stupid behavior.

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Of Racism and Prejudice

From UConn to D.C. to Malaysia

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