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.