Racism is Thriving

In a post less than five months ago, on June 2, 2009, entitled "Racism is Alive" TNB decried the then swelling racism in the United States, primarily as evidenced by the Sonia Sotomayor Supreme Court nomination (BTW, did anyone notice her initial performance on the Court when she asked more questions than Clarence Thomas cumulatively has expressed in 18 years?). Sad to say things appear to have gotten much worse to the extent that racism is not only alive but thriving. Consider just a few examples recently reported:

• Louisiana Justice of Peace Keith Bardwell refused to marry an interracial couple, stating that he believed the children of such marriages suffer. Let's see--there's Derek Jeter, Tiger Woods and some fellow named Barack Obama, just for starters. Welcome to 1909, Keith--you're a century too late.
• Taos, New Mexico hotel owner Larry Whitten fired some of his Hispanic employees (Taos is 70% Hispanic) for speaking Spanish in front of him (he thinks, probably correctly, that they're talking badly about him) and for refusing to Anglicize their first names. Marcos would become Mark, Maria will be Mary, Jose will be Joe, etc. if this enlightened gentleman prevails. Welcome to the Southwestern U.S., Larry, you too are obviously living way in the past.
• ESPN college football analyst Bob Griese, who should know better having spent his adult life involved with the heavily integrated sport (including his many champion years as quarterback of the Miami Dolphins) carelessly remarked that race driver Juan Pablo Montoya would probably not finish in the top 5 of the Nascar standings because he was frequently occupied eating tacos. If Montoya worked for Larry Whitten, he of course would be John Paul.

Is it TNB's imagination working in overdrive or do the recent increases in racially insensitive incidents result largely from the incredible (and acceptable to many) antipathy to the President because of the color of his skin? We sure have a long way to go.

Does Anything Ever Change

After a month long hiatus, which included a European trip, TNB has returned to find that, although some of the names and circumstances have changed, essentially human behavior hasn't. You can always count on strange events or individual flaws or foibles to provide matters of interest. Witness the following:

• After a Herculean and very expensive effort (and a last minute trip to Copenhagen by President Obama), Chicago received a grand total of 18 votes out of 94 from the International Olympic Committee and was eliminated on the first ballot as the site for the 2016 Summer Olympics. This disappointment was met with raucous cheers from the far right because, although it might be an insult to the United States, it showed to them that Obama was weak!
• Exactly one week later several hundred miles north in Oslo, President Obama was amazingly (and very prematurely) awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. This surprise was met with raucous boos from the far right, because although it might be a compliment to the United States, it showed to them that Obama was weak!
• After not only the above events but the continuing viciousness over health care reform, Rush Limbaugh was asked if he could find one thing positive about the President and replied that he had a good voice. Rush of course had a bad week when he was removed from a list of potential investors seeking to purchase the NFL St. Louis Rams because of his well documented instances of spewing racial hatred (the NFL is 65% African-American). Rush blamed the whole debacle on that guy with the good voice. Really.
• On a somewhat different note, the media was transfixed by the balloon boy incident thus proving that "reality TV" (often scripted) and those who aspire to participate are taking over our culture. OMG!
• Finally, in a lightly reported incident at Madison Square Garden, the coach of an Israeli basketball team playing an exhibition against the New York Knicks was ejected but refused to leave until a rabbi, with yarmulke affixed, who was traveling with the team (which raises funds for an orphanage in Israel) had to come onto the court to intervene. Perhaps he could get invoved in mediating the Middle Eastern conflict. OY VEY!

It's obviously good to be home.