Judge Judy - RACIST!

Ahh...here we go again. Another disgruntled former employee is suing his ex-employer because he feels he was wrongly terminated. To add fuel to the fire, implications of racism are brought forth. Far be it fom me to suggest that a minority employee might actually get fired for the legitimate reasons that were stated on his termination papers. Of course, if he WERE actually let go for the reasons provided he wouldn't have a case and we wouldn't be reading this. However, with a claim of racial bias we can get a case, national headlines and lots of harumphs and head shakes from the affected minority community. Specifically, here are the 'opinions' in question - THR, ESQ. Entertainment & Media Law Blog: Complaint Alleges Racial Screening of 'Judge Judy' Cases
OK. So, arguments of racism aside, is it wrong to do away with cases that don't bring viewers? After all, TV shows live and die by their ratings. If Judge Judy viewers prefer cases with white folk to cases with black folk should we sink the show in the name of racial equality? Let's be blunt here. BET would lose viewers by inviting Drew Carey and Ellen to do new shows. The conventional wisdom says that they would do much better by coming up with shows starring 50 Cent and Whitney Houston. This isn't racism, it's business. The Judge Judy program is free to aim shows at whatever they feel their demographic is.
Next, let's look at the allegations. The producer says he was told "We're not doing any more black shows;" "I don't want to hear no black language on T.V.;" "I don't want to hear black people arguing;" and other comments. So after seven years as a producer this is what he comes up with? I bet Judge Judy would call that evidence circumstatial at best. Maybe even simple opinion? Fine. Let's just say it is all true. Again, we are trying to keep a show alive by keeping ratings up by pandering to the core audience. If I am the core audience, I have changed the channel. I, too no longer wish to see black people arguing on TV. I am sick and tired of illiterate, cursing, trash talking, hip-hoppish caricatures of human beings on my television whining about how someone owes them something just because, yo. So, if you are in charge of the show, how do you win my viewership back? By playing shows I want to see. By eliminating the type of show that drove me away. If this practice is racist, I'm suing the producers of "Sisters!" I want more shows that concern issues that are important to ME, damnit!
To sum up, let's be blunt some more. I am sick and tired of 24% of the population determining 100% of what I see and hear on television. Between the hispanic and black communities, the crap being shoved down my throat in the name of "diversity" is really starting to tick me off. It isn't bad enough that the left-wing nut jobs are ruining every decent program out there by making it about their own political agenda (global warming, etc.) But whatever decent TV is left is besieged by worthless boycotts and lawsuits if there isn't enough 'color' in it. I wonder how many minorities who complain about the lack of their 'type' on TV have actually considered making the sacrifice of going to college, getting a degree and becoming a television writer? Probably very few, I'm guessing. Much easier to be part of the problem than the solution. Got fired? Get over it! And leave the race card in the deck where it belongs.

Tom Teepen doesn't lie...

...nor does he tell the whole truth! You see, Arizona has become the first of the individual states to go above and beyond the federal government to practice ACTUAL ILLEGAL ALIEN CONTROL! Yes, instead of erecting showy fences or passing worthless legislation, they elected this year to hit the illegals where it hurts...in the pocket. As of yesterday, companies caught with illegal aliens in their employ will have their business license suspended for a few weeks. The second offense will cause them to have the license revoked! Properly enforced, this should make a sizable dent in the flow of illegal job seekers crossing the border. So what's the problem???
According to Teepen's column today, we are going to punish the poor business owners who have been taking advantage of the illegals by paying them squat for years. No wait, we're going to punish the business owners for supporting law breakers who should, by LAW, be immediately deported. No...that can't be right. This... all... makes... sense. Maybe he wants us to ...oh heck I don't know what he wants. But he is predicting a huge gap in available workers...DUH!!
His first assertion is that people in the offices of Phoenix will be unwilling to go work in the fields. Yeah...but people making the minimum wage in a fast food restaurant might be excited to make some decent dough in the open air. But, he points out, AZ. has a low 3.3 employment rate. Well, Tom, other places ave high unempoymnt rates and willing workers looking for jobs When ICE raided the seven meat-packing plants and sent all the workers packing, LEGAL African immigrants moved into the towns and took the jobs. Hmmm....legal Americans gladly stepping into jobs vacated by illegal aliens. Imagine that! And they said it couldn't be done...
His next assertion is that Arizona's ecomomy will suffer under the lack of illegal workers making under the table wages that they then send home. Wait! What? Yes, I am serious. Then again, what I set out to say is that T. Teepen doesn't tell the whole truth. What will be missing as the illegals leave is the tremendous strain on Arizona's healthcare and school systems. Let's talk about that. While we're at it, let's discuss the wages that will be going into the tax base from legal workers. Hmm...sounds like a boost to the ecomomy to me. Not to mention, living wages for deserving workers. What's not to like, Tom?

Texas Drivers Licenses for all!!

It has been suggested that we issue TDLs to illegals so we can to send them a speeding ticket!! On the news today, they were discussing how officials "dont know what to do with them after they get pulled over. They don't have licenses, insurance, etc and giving them a ticket is a waste of paper." I have an idea...SEND THEM HOME!!! Cripes when are we gonna get over being nice? Ronnie Raygun signed the law in what, '86? SEND THEM HOME! PERIOD! If police officers are finding illegals on our highways and then NOT turning them over to immigration they are not upholding the law. There should not even be a question about this. The more we give, the more they will take. They already have better educational opportunities, healthcare and (dare I say it) pay than many hardworking Americans. This is all due to laws that the bleeding hearts get pushed through by guilting us over their poor state of affairs. The time is now to put our feet down. It HAS TO STOP! Kill the jobs, halt the medicare, kick them out of school and punish the employers. Stop instant citizenship for anyone born over the border. Stop helping them to get educated, fed, cared for and banked. Then, and only then, will they stop coming. Then, deport those still here. It is far better to be homeless and jobless here than there so they will have to be sent. Use my tax dollars to rent a school bus on the weekend. Pay me minimum wage to drive it. I will do whatever it takes to make this happen! Get it??

Hugo Chavez wants to be your friend!

I cannot believe the commercial I just saw on TV. One of the cool things about having sat TV is being able to catch programs in different time zones. One of the bad things is seeing other peoples local ads. One of the interesting things is seeing commercials you WOULD NOT see at home. Soooo...
Tonight I was watching Wheel o' Fortune on a Boston, MA station when the ad came on. It showed a young, single mother and her daughter standing in front of a gas stove (unlit) and getting cold. The pair appear to be out of heating oil and have no means to buy more. The announcer in the background is talking about how tough times can be and how there is now help on the way. A heating oil truck pulls up out front and "Joe" gets out to happily pump some free oil into the struggling family's tank. The announcer is now happily telling us that no one should go without and "Joe" will be there in your time of need. The punchline? As the ad closes we hear "Joe's assistance program is brought to you by Citgo and the fine people of Venezuela." What???
So one has to wonder. Has Hugo decided to hire a PR firm to 'buff' up his tarnished image in the U.S.? Or is the State Department behind this idiocy? Lord knows I love a guy who can piss on us while we continue to kiss his ass. I didn't think Chavez cared. Maybe Stripes (CircleK) DID buy lots of gas from them...

Welcome, to the Bank of (South) America

Seems the Bank of America is targeting people of questionable backgrounds. Their new credit cards will require three months worth of maintaining a checking account. No SSN, no credit background, nothing. Obviously, they are aiming for the 'large, untapped market' of illegal aliens. Here's a quote from the article;

"Bank of America defends the program, saying it complies with U.S. banking and antiterrorism laws. Company executives say that the initiative isn't about politics, but rather about meeting the needs of an untapped group of potential customers."

This tells me what I've always known...people will quickly sell out their country for the almighty dollar. More words of wisdom from the article;

"These people are coming here for quality of life, and they deserve somebody to give them a chance to achieve that quality of life," says Brian Tuite, the bank's director of Latin America card operations and one of the architects of the program.

Nooooo...these people are here illegally and need to be DEPORTED! Period! If the government can stop me from smoking in a private restaurant why cant they stop the B of A from aiding and abetting known criminals? Well, at least something good will come of this. Now the drug gangs will have an easier time of moving money around without giving any real background info...Thanx B of SA!! You will never get my business!

Headlines you'll never see....

Ironic, I think that the man who represented the New Black Panthers on Bill O'Reilly some time ago claimed that it was impossible for blacks to be racist. Not only is it an arrogant claim, but a dishonest one as well. ANYONE at ANYTIME can be racist. Sadly we hear alot more about the Duke case than this one. 8 convicted of hate attack in Long Beach - Los Angeles Times While justice in this case may have been served, there certainly are no winners. Instead of having the case openly aired across the nation, this news was essentially swept under the mainstream media carpet for what I would guess is its unpalatability. Surely no one wants to read that black folk can be mean, vindictive and racist. Just ask Reginald Denny. Of course I'm being facetious. Reginald Denny was beaten by a crowd of blacks under the influence of 'mob mentality.' To tell the truth, I'm surprised that defense wasn't tried here.
And so it goes throughout the history of the late 20th century that whenever blacks commit heinous crimes the press gives them an excuse to have committed it. Whenever we convict them we say we're sorry it had to be this way, then fund another worthless minority help program to try and dismiss our misplaced 'white guilt.' If we are ever wrong in our convictions we are held fast to the fire and ordered to pay millions to the wronged person as we apologize profusely. Too bad it only works that way for the minorities. We'll never hear I'm sorry from the unreelected Cynthia McKinney. She's probably making $1000 a plate appearances on the lecture circuit. Mike Nifong will do the same even if he is disbarred. Both of them will continue to profit from unfounded allegations invoking racist rants across the country. CNN, Fox News and all the major networks continue to paint a picture of racist whites and compliant, loving minorities that are stretching the boundaries of uncivil behavior. They get away with murder while we are accused of making them commit said murder.
One other high profile no show in the media is the fight in the Atlanta suburbs involving money and race. Fulton county has over 900,000 residents. 29% of them are upper middle class whites in the northern half of the county. The rest are mostly 'income challenged' blacks. The white folk want to break away and form their own county to better serve their interests. (They currently pay 48% of the county's taxes.) The blacks are crying racist and claiming that allowing the white folk to break away will decimate the county coffers. Duh. I cant imagine that blacks wouldn't try to do the same given a reversal of the circumstances. 'Course, the press would stand behind them. It would be the politically correct thing to do. Right?

It's about damn time!!

Finally, a lawmaker not afraid to say what a lot of people have been thinking. It was only a matter of time. Details - Top News- Lawmaker Under Fire for Slavery Comment - AOL News
The PC grip over this nation has got to be relaxed. Honestly, the demands of "wronged" minorities are just getting bolder and more ridiculous by the day. It's time that decent, upstanding individuals say that enough is enough. The comments from the legislator were prompted by the proposal that the state of Virginia formerly apologize for slavery. Excuse me??? The state of Virginia caused slavery? OK, I get it, quit yelling. The point is that The state of Virginia today has nothing to do with the state of Virginia from yesterday. This is an absolutely pointless piece of legislation (and waste of valuable time) that will simply have the blacks crying for MORE. While black members of the state body claimed that this would 'help with the healing process,' we all know that it would simply re-ignite the fires of gimme, gimme gimme that inevitably crop up from time to time where blacks demand slave reparations in the form of cash from white people. Too many things wrong with that picture, but that will be covered some other day. For now, let's just stick with the comment that blacks should "get over slavery."
Perhaps, to start, a definition. I do not think slavery should be forgotten, forgiven, tucked away, hidden or ignored. Getting over it simply means to stop with the crutch of history long gone to prop up the egos of blacks who feel the world owes them everything. The fact that there are black legislators in the same body as the offender tells me that we've come quite a long way in the 140 years since the Civil war. I personally find it offensive that blacks should be demanding anything at all. They've been given the benefit of the doubt, a break at every turn and more opportunity than they know what to do with. So 40 years after the civil rights movement what do we get? A black community that can't advise itself, police itself or even get along with itself. We're talking about people who idolize gangsta rappers and called Bill Cosby an Uncle Tom when he tried to tell them how it is. Get over it!
Next, why don't we discuss who this apology would come from. Now, you can say it is not personal all you like. (The STATE is apologizing, not the people!) But if blacks who emigrated to the country AFTER slavery was abolished take this kind of thing "personally," then so will I. So, let's cover some facts. Blacks did not end slavery without the help of an awful lot of white people. With the exception of a few units, the civil war was pretty much fought, and won, by white folks. Whites pretty much ran the government when the civil rights laws were passed. Whites helped educate blacks. Whites ran the underground rail road, set up quota systems, voted in a holiday for a plagiarizing woman beater...you get the idea. Blacks are demanding an apology from the very people who helped them get to where they are today. It's biting the hand that feeds you in the purest form. Blacks today act as if the entire white world is the enemy when just the opposite is generally true. Demanding an apology of ANY kind is simply a slap in the face to whites everywhere. Let's face it...if ALL whites were against all blacks, we would still have slavery, right? Get over it!
The longer blacks decide they can't get along in the world without the help of white people because of the 'horror' of slavery, the further backwards they will go. It should be a slap in the face to every one of the millions of successful blacks in this country to hear this kind of crap, but it is not the party line. They would rather support their 'brothers' than appear to be against anything that is "for" blacks. Now, for all those folks out there SCREAMING at me that blacks can get along fine on their own, let's cover a few more complaints;
"There are not enough blacks in TV shows!" Actually, I think the problem is a lack of talented black writers, producers, etc. No one is stopping them from going to school, learning their trade or starting their own company. Like tons of whites who came before them, and earned their way. Period.
"There are not enough minorities in NASCAR!" According to who? Tell you what, if you want more minorities in racing, do what most of the white kids did...start young and form your own team. Get a talented driver, some competent crew members and corporate sponsors! See? Easy! Seriously, there's nothing stopping FUBU, BET or P. Diddy from starting their own race team. Why are you waiting for a white folk funded "driver diversity" program?
"There are not enough black Generals, Admirals, pilots, news anchors, sea captains, CEOs, managers, leaders, etc." (This could go on all night but you get the idea.) Sorry, but there is no cure for this problem that white folks can supply. It's a matter of making good use of all the resources offered. The 'mental blockage' brought on by the 'slavery mentality' and the onslaught of 'white privilege' is a problem you invented, not me. I am sick and tired of excuses and demands that minorities put forward as serious agenda so they can 'move on' in this world. Millions make it on their own every day. All you have are lame excuses and laziness. GET OVER IT!!

Tom Teepen tries to deepen my white guilt!

Today, raving fruitcake Tom Teepen printed a column of utter stupidity that I am certain is just feeding the fertile imaginations of minorities everywhere. They love nothing more than someone who verifies their "cause." Details - Teepen: America's racist past still lives ... just ask Oprah For your amusement, here's the e-mail I sent in reply to his filth.

Concerning your column I read in the Corpus Christi Caller Times on 13 Jan 07 titled 'Our racist past lives on...just ask Oprah.' First, let's get a few facts straight:
1. I'm white and I could not care less about what Oprah does with her money. She earned it and what she does with it is her business.
2. Most white folks feel this way.
3. It is REALLY irritating when columnists write generalizations about white folks based on what less than one half of one percent of them say.
4. I believe charity starts at home, not at Christian missions far away. (Interesting side note here. When several NBA stars visited a mission schoolhouse in Africa I was appalled but not surprised to see that the eighth grade students of a one room schoolhouse in the middle of a desert staffed by a volunteer spoke better English than the "college educated" NBA stars. I guess it's more a matter of want, than resources.)
5. As for whites getting upset when blacks(or any other minority for that matter) make exclusive charities, that evolves out of the apparent laws against whites doing anything for themselves without involving other races. We cannot promote ourselves, be proud of ourselves or start any club, scholarship fund, television show, awards society, social gathering or any other thing involving more than two persons without first involving at least one gay Jewish black woman. Isn't it funny how studies involving minorities that conclude they prefer the company of like individuals find them to be good, upstanding people, but if it concludes that whites prefer the company of whites they're assumed to be a bunch of hood wearing, card carrying members of the KKK?
6. In my humble opinion, the black community does more to hurt itself than help itself. Katrina was the perfect example of this. Given the chance to stand before the world and hold each other up, the black community instead chose to self implode and beat each other down. Let's face it. After 40 years of racial enlightenment, we are more aware of 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Beyonce' than Ronald Mcnair and Bill Lester. (Sadly, we cannot hold up Condoleeza Rice without putting Cynthia McKinney beside her.) That, sir, is your legacy, not mine.
7. Minorities across the country can attend any school they aspire to as well as many private institutions that were built and are sustained just for them. It has been this way for many, many years. You have no room to bitch and no excuses left. "White privilege" is a myth. "Hook a brother up, yo" is a reality.
8. Minorities who want to do something and understand that they have to earn it, like EVERYONE ELSE, will generally do so, usually with little or no help from their own community. If they did, I am certain we would hear about it. Endlessly. Those who expect to be given the world will come up with every excuse why they aren't getting it while they sit around waiting for someone to hurry up and give it to them. Why one group ends up in the media a lot more than the other is beyond me.
By rehashing 'the confusions that came with the first slave ship' you set yourself back hundreds of years. I am not holding you back, you are. I refuse to feel guilt or be ashamed of my race so that you may feel better. If belittling whites is the only thing that brings you peace, I feel sorry for you. You are a little, petty person that will never be happy. In 1983 I joined the US Navy. There were four white guys, including me, in my boot camp company. We all went in together and had the same opportunities throughout our careers. If they are not living next to me with two new cars and a fabulous post career job, it is not my fault. I am truly sick and tired of loudmouths like you painting a different picture. I EARNED all that I have. I was not put on this planet to pay for what you believe to be the sins of my father. For the record, my family came here (as did many whites) as indentured servants. We got over it.
The crap you spew into your column just further ignites the reading youth to believe that someone should be making them kings of the worlds. (For the record, there have never been any Monarchs in Africa.) As for the bottom line in your column, you said, and I quote, "Some of the griping came Winfrey's way from within the black community," but I guess you only see fit to vilify the whites for their opinion. Way to go on your balanced journalism you schmuck. Grow up and take responsibility. Maybe someday you will be somebody.

As sure as I am that my e-mail will make a quick trip to his trash bin I am equally certain that he will be an angry man for the rest of his life.

Immigration and the ACLU

Let's start by just confirming (reaffirming?) that I am no fan of the ACLU. Time and time again I have watched in horror as they defend the stupid and ignore real world issues. The latest example of their actions has them defending the rights (rights??) of a bunch of illegal immigrants. Details - Rhode Island news Rhode Island news projo.com The Providence Journal OK now..so lets get this straight. We're upset that some troopers did their job and caught some criminals. Why? The criminals were 'racially profiled.' Huh? What are we supposed to do, wait until the illegals put on their "Kiss me, I'm an illegal immigrant" t-shirts? Maybe living so far from any foreign borders puts the Rhode Island ACLU at a disadvantage. Maybe they don't understand the danger lurking across the borders. Details - Intellectual Conservative Politics and Philosophy » Maricopa County Attorney Asks why National Guard on Border Retreated from...
In any case, they are gonna have to accept that we don't live in a perfect world. The time for being delicate is over. The time for trying to be nice towards everyones sensibilities is past. It is time to retake our nation and punish those who would choose to give it away. Down here in south Texas, the border is less than a hundred miles away. The border patrol maintains stations well 'inland' from the actual boders. Everyone who passes through is stopped and questioned. They are asked to provide proof of citizenship. I faced it daily while going about my everyday job. I had no problem with this. I'm sure the R.I. ACLU would crap themselves at the thought of everyone being pulled, regardless of car type, color or radio station playing. The ONLY question asked is are you a U.S. citizen. At these checkpoints, hundreds of thousands of pounds of dope and coke are caught and taken. Hundreds of illegals are captured. Maybe the troopers in Rhode Island should just ask everyone they pull over to provide proof of citizenship. That way it wouldn't be racial profiling. What do you think, ACLU?
My point here is that we are needlessly harassing a couple of officers who should have been commended for their efforts that were above and beyond the normal scope of their assigned duties. Anything that helps curb the flow of illegal immigration is a good thing. Funny thing that the 'super new' democratic congress decided to pass the 9-11 bills without even mentioning immigration. I firmly believe that homeland security and comprehensive immigration reform go hand in hand. Of course, the reform isn't really needed if we just decide to enforce what R. Reagan signed into LAW back in '84. Call me all the nastiest names in the book, but if we continue to award prizes to folks who should be deported, worry about the sensibilities of muslim cab drivers and defend the rights of illegal immigrants not to be arrested we are GIVING AWAY AMERICA!

And the Stupidity Just Rolls On!!!

First of all, a huge load of crap to Toys'R'Us for caving in to the special interest cry babies who are ruining this country. Details - Toys 'R' Us Reverses Decision on Baby Contest - AOL News By giving in and awarding prizes to several mothers, they twisted simple contest rules into their apparent willingness to support illegal immigration. As one advocate stated, if illegals are allowed in our schools why can't they win a contest? Weeeelllll...let's just go a bit further, shall we? Let's send them home with a quick boot in the a$$! Deport them AS PER THE LAW! I can't believe anyone would even consider listening to the whining much less reversing their decision. Count me as a former Toys'R'Us customer!
In even more stunning news, we now find out about the US-Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement. Details - U.S.-Mexico Pact Revealed: Billions to Non-citizens No wonder the current administration has been trying to ease us into thinking about paths to citizenship for our illegal working stiffs. They've already decided to bankrupt the Social Security funds by giving it away to the illegals. YOUR hard earned tax dollars will be funneled to someone who has only to work in this country ILLEGALLY for 18 months! Maybe we could devise a system to take the SS bennies from all the bleeding hearts who advocate the illegals first!
Meanwhile, over in the "What the F@#K?" department, why in the world would the National Guard RETREAT from encroaching armed men who crossed the border and fired at them? I believe the only excuse would be that they were unarmed. If that's the case, then we underestimated the enemy. Re-arm with TOW missiles, Apache and Cobra gunships and a few Harriers. If they were ordered not to shoot, their Chain of Command should be fired and their ROE updated. If they were unclear on the ROE for the use of deadly force, retrain them. I respect our National Guard and admire the job they do, but this is inexcusable. The border is where it all starts. If we allow them to get away with it once, they'll just keep a-coming. It is bad enough that we allow the unarmed invaders to cross unchallenged and don't always deport them when we find them. Speaking of which, shouldn't a certain Meat Packing company be getting huge fines levied against them? Nah, screw it! We'll just keep rewarding crime...
On the lighter side of things, color me surprised, but the Duke rape case fiasco is finally shaping up to be all it should have been from the get go. A big, fat ZERO! By reducing the charges to only things that can't be proven, the prosecution is simply denying the ugly truth. There is no case. Never was. Never will be. Too bad the New Black Panthers just can't understand. Their leader really embarrassed himself on the Bill O'Reilly show last night. Seems they just cannot accept that the accuser is a faker and a liar. The only result they will accept is guilty and they will never get it. Once they figure that out the cries and whining will begin anew. (Racism! White Privilege! Conspiracy!) I wonder why Jesse Jackson and the ACLU aren't in LA to assist in the Halloween Night hate crime attacks? Oh, that's right...the alleged victims are white. Racism and hate crimes aren't possible against white folk.
One final thought concerning a group of cab drivers. Details - Muslim Cab Drivers Refuse Customers As someone who spent more than two years in and out of Arab countries, let me just say that charity should start at home. Muslims, for the most part, drink just as much if not more than we Americans do. They also seem to own an inordinate amount of dogs. This is just another excuse to try and mold us to their "ways." Make no mistake about it. While the Shiite may be a reasonably tolerant bunch, the Sunni have one goal and one goal only. Join us or perish at our hands. Hello...does anyone see the back door being pried open? Maybe we should refuse to ride with any Muslim cab drivers! No, that would be racist and wrong. Right?

(I still have) Immigration Issues and other updates!!

1) Immigration - A quick rehash...the government is trying to pass an immigration reform bill and the latinos in particular are all in a twist over it. Seems they don't take kindly to having to pay taxes and learn the english language. Well here's the funny thing I still can't understand. Why are latinos against this bill??? It provides for a guest worker program, gives illegals already in the country a route to become a citizen without having to go back to their own country and stand in line and (somehow) doesn't propose to put any of them in jail! It also talks about building a big-ass wall to prevent competition in the lucrative American jobs market. What's not to like? These are the things that latino rights groups La Raza and LULAC have been arguing for years to get! It's my thinking that the latinos would be at home celebrating this bill while other groups took to the streets to demonstrate against it. Instead, we have latinos abandoning jobs and schools to march against this bill while the rest of us legal immigrants sit at home and do nothing to stop it. What's wrong with this picture? OH...That's right...they'll have to learn english and start paying taxes. Yeah...I'd be pissed about that too!! One suggestion though...if we're gonna build that wall, we better build it before telling anyone. Otherwise there's gonna be a mass migration north to get in before it goes up ala the Muriel Boat Lift. Speaking of which, the immigration department this week demonstrated it's keen grasp of reality by catching a boatload of illegals entering the country by landing in Florida. The boat had many haitians and one cuban onboard. Under the "dry feet" law, the cuban was allowed to stay and the rest were deported home. Are we to believe that the boat they came in on left Haiti and made a pit stop in Cuba before coming to the U.S.? Makes perfect sense to me....

2) Cynthia McKinney - She continues to make noise as even her fellow Black Caucus members advise her to back off and shut up. The more she talks the less she says and the stupider she looks. I almost busted a gut during her interview on CNN's American Morning show with Soledad O'Brien. If it wasn't so sad it would be funnier. Hell, her attorney said more than she did. Not bad for someone with 'something to say.' As posted earlier, I believe she owes us all an apology but will never give one. The continuing state of single-sided race relations....

3) NASCAR - Bill Lester, all-American race car driver(and black man), drove a nice clean race and managed not to wreck himself or anybody else. He gained valuable rookie experience and berated the press for making a big deal out of it. In the mean time, as the black community shouted as one that IT'S ABOUT TIME, NASCAR continued it's quiet commitment to it's minority driving program. In other news, I continue to note that while there is a Family Channel sponsored car, there's no BET Channel sponsored car.....Wrangler has a race team, FUBU does not....Joe Gibbs has a two car race team, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan combined don't have one between them. So what are P Diddy, Oprah and other black billionaires doing to promote blacks in racing? Apparently they are sitting around on their collective asses waiting for white folk to make it happen. Color me surprised.....

It's ALWAYS About Race!!!

Isn't it? Oh sure....everytime a white guy gets promoted before the black guy, everytime a white guy cuts off a black man on the freeway, everytime the white candidate gets elected over a hispanic candidate, everytime a hispanic woman is fired by a white woman, everytime a black man is jailed for a crime, everytime a TV show features mostly white characters, everytime a talk-show hostess is kept out of a department store after hours, everytime a taxi passes on picking up a famous black actor off the streets of New York late at night, everytime a minority of any color is turned down for a home loan, car loan, credit card or...ahh heck, you get the idea, right? In case you don't, there are those in this country who would have you believe that the entire white race is out to get, destroy, put down and generally hold back the minorities in our country. Forget the thousands of whites who gave their lives in the civil war...forget that a VERY SMALL percentage of whites actually owned or condoned slavery, forget that most whites were immigrants once upon a time who stood in line and learned the language to become citizens, forget the hundreds of thousands who marched for and voted for civil rights in the 60s and raised kids to think the way that they did. APPARENTLY....we (white folks) just want to hold minorities back, keep them from succeeding and put them down when they do somehow manage to beat the "system." Need a good example of this? Check it out....

AOL News: Politics - No Apology From McKinney for Hill Scuffle

Congressional Representative Cynthia McKinney of Georgia is crying racism over a recent incident in which she accuses a Capitol Hill police officer of being a racist as he grabbed her "inappropriately" and detained her against her will. Did he tackle her without warning? Did he verbally abuse her and call her by racial epithets? Did he grope her and make disparaging remarks about her color? Nah...all he did was his JOB!! Whuh? Huh? That's right, he did his job and nothing more. As a member of the Capitol Police he is charged with protecting the 100 members of the Senate and the 535 members of Congress. He is to ensure that they are safe and protected by guarding the entrances to secure buildings. Not too long ago, it seems Rep. McKinney tried to enter a building by flashing her ID, not wearing her congressional lapel pin and bypassing security. Normally, this is how things happen. On this day, however, the guard did not happen to recognize the Congresswoman and asked her, not once but three times to stop and identify herself. When she refused to, he attempted to detain her.... I.E., his job. Her response? Well gosh, as a 6 term Rep (and grown, mature woman) I would expect her to get indignant, identify herself and give the guard a dressing down. Instead, she ignored three verbal warning and then struck at the officer as he attempted to block her entry to the building. THEN, as seems to be the norm these days, she went on National television and painted this whole incident as racially motivated. When I first saw this reported on CNN, without any details on the incident being provided, all we got to see was the congresswoman and her lawyer with lots of other minorities on a podium announcing that an investigation was necessary! That this is just another indication of the severe problem we have in America! That it was unforgivable that this type of incident should happen to a (heavy annunciation here) "black.... woman.... Congressman!"
Days after the incident her tone seems to have changed. She now says that she "regrets" the incident...that the guard probably didn't recognize her due to a recent makeover. Other members of congress believe she should be charged with assault. The Capitol Police are considering it. One Rep decided to say that is was no big deal. Another pondered how many police will be hit before it becomes a big deal?
So far she hasn't apologized to the police officer or the department. I'm betting she won't, but if she does, it won't be publicly. Personally, I think she owes the whole nation an apology. She is a highly positioned elected official. She is EXACTLY the kind of person that young folk of any color should be able to look up to. Sadly, she just destroyed any credibility she had by blowing this incident into something it never was...a racial incident. The guard did his job and she reacted by acting like a spoiled child. By going before a national audience and crying race, she undermines a ton of progress in race relations. Other minorities who look up to her will decide it's OK to cry race everytime they feel wronged. And all of us white folk, raised to judge by character, will realize that she has no character and even less class. By promoting a non-existent situation she continues to erode progress and set us back ten years or more. She encourages others to do the same. And when proved totally wrong, she will never apologize for it.
I see a pattern here that gets more set every year. Black comedians will spend half of their set joking about the crackers with no rhythm. But if a white man tells a joke about black people liking fried chicken and watermelon, stand by for the fury! Black people can get national news coverage about baseless accusations of racial harassment. You'll never see the guard on TV talking about how he was just doing his dang job. Do I think that racially motivated incidents deserve national attention? Darn right!! Do I think CNN showed a severe lack of judgment with this story being aired as it was? Damn right. I think most major news organizations are so geared up to report nationally significant news that they will cover ANYthing that just sounds juicy. Funny how it is then buried deep within their websites when the facts and public sentiment is better known. I honestly don't know what is more irresponsible to report...the Congresswoman's baseless rant or the crap that Charlie Sheen was spouting off about 911. I always thought of CNN as an authoritative news organization unaflicted by the crap and incapable of airing unmitigated crap that has no place in the 'news.' I guess I thought wrong.

(I have) Immigration Issues

Today's biggest headlines: AOL News - Immigration Debate Heats Up in Senate

Immigration? IMMIGRATION!?! We don't need no stinkin' immigration! And so goes the rant of legal and illegal immigrants alike who feel they (the illegals) have the right to walk right across a national border, earn a living without being taxed (and yet being represented), and have the audacity to send the majority of that money right back across the border! So now, faced with a swift end to the gravy train, they are taking to the streets to demonstrate. Gravy train, you say? They work jobs that other Americans won't for slave wages, right? Let's get one thing straight. These workers are sending home their "meager" wages to the tune of 20 billion dollars per year! Guess what Mexico's #2 source of income is? Wages remitted by migrant workers. Second only to oil exports! We're talking free medical care, driver's licenses, small business loans, court appointed lawyers, fire and police protection, minority preferences, education ...it...never...ends! All the benefits of being a citizen without paying taxes or learning the language. As previously ranted about, they'd just as soon you hurry your ass up and learn spanish already. They're tired of not being able to communicate with you! Are you mad yet? No? Well sit back, i'm just getting started.
Guess who is being hurt the most by the illegal immigrants? You? Me? Not even close. That would be the poor, uneducated people who have legally immigrated here and can't find a job! They wait their turn as millions before them have, they learn the language and they pass a citizenship test and for what? No jobs, unaffordable medical care and not a lot of prospects? Welcome to America. All the goodies have gone to the border hoppers. They get all the freebies and you get the shaft. If not for the illegals, you'd have a decent paying job and some benefits. Funny how you thought you would help your own cause and take to the streets and defend the illegals!
Here in America, we have such a good thing going on that people from all over wish to be here more than anywhere else in the world. Anywhere! Damn near every day, our Coast Guard and Navy is patrolling the southern shores, turning away Haitians, Cubans, etc. Even if they get ashore, we ship them right back. (Except for the Cubans. Under the "wet foot dry foot" laws, if they make it to shore, we let them stay. That too should be changed.) In the mean time, we embrace the Mexican illegals with all of the benefits and none of the hardships that come with living here. (NO, I am not saying it is a breezy life to be a migrant fruit picker.) They need to be shipped back the minute they are discovered. People who employ illegals should be heavily fined and regularly inspected. A wall should exist between our countrys. It is to the benefit of EVERYONE to control immigration. This is a national crisis!
Now, for those of you bleeding hearts who feel we should leave our southern borders wide open, let's talk about who all crosses it. Now, i'm not gonna talk about muslims and terrorists. I want to introduce you to MS-13. Who? MS-13! The Most Dangerous Gang in America - Newsweek National News - MSNBC.com They are crossing our border regularly and will soon be bigger in America then our own homegrown Crips and Bloods. They bring drugs, violence and prostitution over the borders faster then we can keep up. So when an illegal immigrant with body armor and an automatic weapon makes your heart bleed for real, DON'T come a bitchin' to me! You've been warned. (Oh yeah...as if that ain't enough, Mexico has a bad habit of dropping off some of their most violent criminals at the border. Aren't you tired of being the carpet under which Mexico sweeps it's crap?)
OK...one more victim of illegal immigration to run under your nose. Are you ready for this? Mexico! The majority of the outlying villages are dying a quick death due to the fact that there's nobody around of working age. The farms are going unworked and the infrastructure is non-existent. All that's left is the very young and the very old. The schools are closing. There is no medical care. The following facts were gleaned from an article in my local paper by Jay Root of Knight-Ridder services; In five states, remittances from abroad now equal 100% or more of the salaries generated locally. There are nine times more people from the town of Joaquin Amaro living in Cicero, IL than are living in Joaquin Amaro itself. Can you believe this? Wait, it gets worse. A woman in the Mexican state of Zacatecas recently went to the immigrant assistance office for advice on how to get her 2 year old daughter (born in the US) back to Oakland, CA for treatment of a hip condition. The agency directors (un)official advice? Hire a smuggler and sign up her US born child for welfare. For the full story, go here. KR Washington Bureau 03/23/2006 Migration of working-age people has devast Mexico is bleeding itself dry as it migrates north to bleed us dry. Like Locusts. How far will we let it go? Write your national leaders. Illegal immigration has become a disgrace and a nightmare. You are inheriting it!

PS - If I were a business owner and my workforce decided to just skip a day by walking out to go demonstrate in the streets, they'd be looking for a new job. If I were the principal where the kids walked out of school, there'd be detention. Period.

Crime and Punishment! (Of the victim, that is...)

The things I learn never cease to amaze me. Just when I think I have it all figured out, something comes along that changes everything. Apparently. there are still 29 states out there that have "duty to retreat" laws still on the books. What, exactly, does this mean to you and me? Let's keep this nice and simple. Basically, if you are attacked in a public place, (I.E., anywhere but in your private domicile) and you defend yourself to the demise of the attacker, the attacker or (in the event of his/her death) his/her family can sue you , have you prosecuted or both if you did not retreat from he criminal attack. Whuh??? That's right. In these states, if you are confronted, attacked, mugged or carjacked in a public place, you must first attempt to "disengage" the situation by backing away. The idea is to avoid potentially deadly situations. Now, while I understand the spirit of these laws, they are absolutely ripe for abuse. Someone who has been attacked by criminals does not need to be victimized a second time by a second-guessing legal system.

It comes as no surprise to me that the NRA is a staunch supporter of these so called "Stand Your Ground" bills. For once, I actually agree with them. Florida was first to pass them, a year ago, allowing everyday citizens to use deadly force against muggers, carjackers and such. The new laws protect the citizens from being prosecuted should the attacker decide he was "wronged" by picking on the wrong person. Several states are considering similar legislation. It just stands to reason, to me, that if I have the right to kill an intruder in my house that I should be able to shoot a carjacker, instead of jumping out of my car and backing away, hoping he'll change his mind and not take my car or hurt me. I see this as a huge step towards taking back our streets. Along with concealed weapons laws, the citizens are starting to get an upper hand on the criminals who don't live by laws and morals. Naturally, there are detractors.

Zach Ragbourn of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence the proposals "are more acurately called 'shoot first' laws. They allow a person who just feels something bad is going to happen to open fire in public." Well we are not a nation of Bernie Goetzs. I just don't picture a bunch of folks running around looking to be vigilantes. I see criminals wondering of the little weak victim they chose to mug is armed. I see carjackers hesitating to run up to any given window. I see citizens unafraid to stand up for themselves in the face of common street thugs. I personally live in a state which allows for an eye for an eye. If someone comes at me with a gun, I can shoot back. If they come at me with a bat, I can take the bat away and beat the hell out of them with it. If they attempt to take me down with their bare hands, they're gonna get thrashed. I don't have to fear reprisals, provided I don't 'escalate' the intended violence. 'Course, between you and me, I'm a piss poor shot. Like I've been told before, shoot for center mass and claim you were aiming for a leg.

Patriot Act - Good for You, Good For Me

Out there in la-la land is a guy (who I won't name because i'd rather not give free advertising) who "invented" a game called Patriot Act: The Home Version. As an Arab civil rights advocate, he bitches and moans about how he feels the act has curtailed American's freedoms. In a blatant rip-off of the game Monopoly (he has enough imagination to think his freedom is in trouble...can't he come up with something a lil' more original?), players basically try to outlast each other. As you move about the board, your freedoms are removed one by one until you end up in Guantanamo, Cuba. (Instead of jail.) The overall aim of the game is to 'poke fun at the historic abuse of governmental powers' by the newly renovated anti-terrorism laws. I'd really love to see the game in person to get a feel for exactly what he is talking about. In the mean time, I'm gonna write out a list of all the things the patriot act has meant to me and my personal freedoms.
1) I have to be at the airport an hour earlier than I used to.
2) If I call an Al-Qaida outpost overseas my call may be monitored. (NOT for quality
assurance!)
3) Flying is safer, ports are more tightly controlled and borders are better patrolled.
4) Ooops! Almost forgot. The government now knows how often I visit porn sites on the
internet. Remember how Google refused to turn over information to the government on
what everybody was searching for during a given week? Well before that happened, pretty
much EVERY other ISP and search engine in America already had without a fight or peep.
Think about that before you go searching again!
Well, I think that's about it. I really feel the Patriot Act has done more FOR me than against me. Obviously the 'inventor' of this game hasn't lost the ability to get his name in the paper. As for my freedoms and privacy, give me a break. Anyone who pays attention knows that we are all monitored in one way or another. Whenever you enter a bank, airport, government office building or casino, a computer somewhere is running your image through a facial recognition program. Everytime you go into a bus station, train station, shopping mall or convenience mart, you end up on video tape. Anytime you pass through a toll booth, border check station, weigh station or most parking garages, a picture is taken of your license plate and you. Oh, and lest I forget, if you use the right combination of words enough times in phone conversations and e-mails, the U.S. Secret Service WILL pay you a visit. (Use your imagination.) The majority of the time, this is done for your protection. These records are being used to prevent and solve crimes.
When they are misused, it is generally by nefarious employees. Something that nothing can prevent. You say you need something to worry about, though? That you just can't sleep unless something horrible could be happening in your life at any given moment? Here, let me help. Identity theft, phishing, drunk drivers, road rage, outsourcing, illegal immigration, racism, the impending tropical storm season and the fact that the average American reads and comprehends at an EIGHTH GRADE LEVEL. (This is not a misprint.)

The article that prompted this rant was printed on page A-2 of my local paper. On page A-3 was an article concerning a man in Afghanistan. He is currently being prosecuted in a Kabul courtroom on a charge of converting from Islam to Christianity. This is a crime against Afghan's strict Islamic laws and he could be sentanced to death. Really. Maybe somebody could come up with a game about that.

Are you paying 5$ a gallon?

You probably are...you just don't know it yet. Am I talking about milk, not quite. (That'll happen when the mad cow scare takes effect.) How about gasoline? Despite ever climbing prices, that time has not yet come either.(At least not in my neck of the woods.) The substance under discussion today is....are youready for this? Water!! Wait a second...water? Water? Damn right, water. If you drink it out of a bottle more than you drink it out of a tap, you are paying between 3 to 5 dollars a gallon. For water. REALLY. Of course, the average price of water coming out of your tap? $.23 a gallon. Twenty-three cents vs. five bucks? Somebody is making a tidy profit here and it sure as heck ain't me. But hey, we all drink bottled water for a reason, right? Let's look at that.

Some time ago, during America's "lets scare ourselves to death" phase, we decided that the ground water was becoming more polluted every day. Chemical companies and commercial farmers would cause us all to have cancer by the age of 30. Back then, bottled water was pretty much a European thing. Perrier and Evian (naive in reverse) represented the bulk of the market and globe-trotting Hollyweird types brought it back to the U.S. as a symbol of wealth and arrogance. Before long, a market developed and the stuff was being sold all over the place. Fast forward to 2006...over 600 brands of bottled water exist worldwide. It outsells soda. Now, if you've ever traveled through Europe, you'd know why they came up with bottled water in the first place. Their water distribution systems are ancient, the plants are a mess and standards non-existent. They needed bottled water. Here in the U.S., most households have reasonably decent enough drinking water. It may not taste great and it may be full of minerals, but it won't kill us. I remember as a child drinking water straight from the garden hose. On a hot summers day, it was like pure elixir. Kids these days would probably choke at the thought as they clutch their sports bottles. Now, the water where I live is so full of minerals I have to literally wash the car with one hand and dry it with the other. If I don't, it'll be ugly and cloudy when it dries. Still, if the water is cold enough, I'll drink it straight from the tap. I also have a refridgerator with water in the door and a filter in the back. Even better. It's only $50 per filter and it lasts several months. Certainly cheaper than bottled. But wait, you say...bottled IS better. Or is it?

To avoid potential lawsuits, i'll simply say this. Current FDA standards allow for bottled water companies to fill their bottles from a city tap. Any tap. Use your imagination.

One of the conveniences we arrogant Americans take for granted is that when we turn on the tap, water will come out. Around the world and even in some places here, there are about 1.5 billion people who don't enjoy that privilege. A FRACTION of the money spent on bottled water around the world would solve that problem. Maybe those 600 companies could set aside .05 a bottle for a few months. That is about all it would take. Spend a little profit so people who don't have running water and can't afford bottled water can get a tap in their village. It's the least they can do. It's the least WE could do. There are quite a few organizations dedicated to this cause. They deserve a few of your dollars.

Side Note: Attention enviromentalists! When you are done quoting gas mileage rates for SUVs vs your lil' hybrid and have completed your demonstration against wind farms for the sake of the birds, crunch these here numbers. It annually takes 1.5 BILLION barrels of oil to make the plastic bottles that water comes in. Collectively, we place some 2.5 MILLION plastic bottles per HOUR into our landfills. As they break down, they release toxic run-off that leeches out and causes the landfills to be shut down. At this point, we are closing landfills almost as fast as we open new ones. Just think...somewhere in this world a billion people are going thirsty for want of that problem.

A few final thoughts, if you please. When I lived in the Kingdom of Bahrain in the Arabian gulf, I could buy a 2 liter bottle of water for about fifty cents. The water was manufactured in a reverse osmosis plant and the bottles were all recyclable. This seemed pretty reasonable. I drank it because the water that came out of the taps was barely tolerable for a shower, much less consumption. We had big bottled water in our flat that was delivered for about $1.90 per 5 gallon jug. That was for cooking, drinking and making ice. Damn reasonable. And now for the other end of the scale. The hottest new thing to have in ones hand in Hollyweird is a bottle of "Bling H20." At around $34 dollars per LITER that's a pretty bold statement. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I still think i'd drink out of the hose on a hot summers day. The nostalgia it brings is priceless.

12.5% vs. 87.5%

Tonight's story is the latest in stupidity to arise out of the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Victoria Cinna is the Director of the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance. (MIRA) She spent two days before Katrina hit landfall begging the Gulfport, MS tv stations to broadcast evacuation messages in Spanish. She knew that hundreds of Latinos lived along the gulf coast and many spoke little, if any english. The stations finally relented just hours before the storm hit. In her mind, this was completely unsatisfactory. I agree, but with stipulations. We'll get to that in a minute. First, i'll also address a related matter. FEMA apparently neglected to provide temporary emergency housing or shelter to Latinos it mistakenly presumed were undocumented. The Red Cross is also accused of requiring Latino hurricane survivors to show documents proving their legal status before they could recieve aid. This is a violation of the Red Crosses own policies. This is wrong on so many levels that I don't even know where to start. Let's just say that ANY victim of ANY hurricane seeking temporary emergency shelter and aid should get it, regardless of status. But for now, let's fry some bigger fish.

If I'm gonna go live in another country, permanent or temporary, rich or poor, young or old, documented or otherwise, I'm gonna learn a few phrases...be it along the way or once I get there. I'm gonna know the words for fire, i'll learn how to summon the police and how to cry rape or robbery or whatever is pertinent. Ms Cinna was pleading to put out the word over the television which says that these folk had access to them. Now, we all saw the national coverage that this hurricane got in the few days before landfall. I could be a deaf, arab speaking polynesian from central China and I still believe I could figure out what's going on on the TV. I'd at least know that SOMETHING was going on and find someone who could tell me what it was. But there is yet a bigger problem.

Go ahead, call me a racist, but this is America and we speak English here. The title of this entry suggests the 87.5% of us in America who speak English as a first language vs. some part of the 12.5% of America's latino population that doesn't. Throughout the southwest one will see highway signs and restaurant menus in English and Spanish. The announcements in the airports as well as the grocery stores are done in both languages. Indeed it is difficult to get a job as a teacher unless you are bilingual. This is the root of the problem. Lots of folks in this country are shooting for the whole bilingual thing on a national scale. They would like for the 87.5 percent of us to bend over for them. It's not enough to recognize Cinco de Mayo or even to have a Latino history month. They want us to be bilingual from front to back. Sorry, but I refuse and I protest. The more we give in to the demands of the latino community the more they get behind. Having a bilingual teacher in school can help the english as a second language students to understand certain things. I believe, however, that it does more harm than good. The students quickly learn to rely on the teacher speaking what they probably hear at home. In my current hometown(population - 52% latino), we have several spanish TV stations, radio stations and newspapers. Last year a high school student was on the frontpage of the local english language paper complaining that the annual aptitude test was only given in one language. Excuse me? He was actually bitching that he couldn't pass the science portion of the test because he didn't understand the technical terms in english. This, he told us, will surely keep him from his dream of going to law school. No, your inability to speak english will do that. By coddling these kids and not forcing them to learn english they get further and further behind the learning curve. The latino community apparently thinks that going bilingual on a national scale is the solution. I once was waiting to be assisted at a national chain store while two clerks were speaking to each other in spanish. I politely explained that it was rude to speak in a foreign language in front of a customer who didnt speak that language. After one (somewhat) politely explained to me that it was quicker and easier for the two of them to converse in their native language, I said "Well, welcome to America...been here long?" It was then quickly and tersly explained to me that she was born here. As was her mother. She's a citizen of the U.S. and damn proud of it, for crying out loud and how dare I!! And I replied, "Then English is your native language." I've had arguments with other latinos who were happy to inform me that America has no official language...perhaps it should be spanish. Well guess what....the International Association of Airline Pilots have an official language. So does the International Maritime Commission. It's not spanish. It's english and it's become the standard for a lot of things, worldwide. I traveled extensively with the military from eastern Europe to the middle east. Everywhere I went I could find someone who spoke english. Spanish, however, not so much. Except in Spain, of course.

If you can find me another country that bends over as much as we do to make illegal immigrants feel welcome, I'd sure like to know what it is. It's time we had english as an official language. Period. I'm all for education all around, but teaching in spanish is just setting these kids up for failure. A few months ago I watched a special on CNN about some NBA players who went to central Africa to give support and money to food, clean water, housing and education programs. What amazed me the most was not the money grubbing athletes actually being generous with some of their wealth. CNN interviewed a sixth grade local girl from a tiny village with a ramshackle schoolhouse run by volunteers in the peace corps. She spoke better english than anybody else on the program. It's not quality of education sometimes....it's the willingness to learn. Excuses and finger pointing seem to be the norm in America these days. I suspect the problem lies elsewhere.

Black.Smart.Fast

NASCAR Driver Tries to Break Color Barrier

Now here's a black man I can stand behind. After going on and on about a man I can't stand yesterday, here's the guy who should be held up for all to see. It's not groundbreaking and it's not even new. But this guy is setting a fine example. He bid his time and paid his dues. After a couple years in the Craftsman Truck Series and several good runs in the Bucsh Series, Bill Lester is going to attempt on Friday to qualify for Sunday's Nascar Nextel Cup race in Atlanta. Is this a good thing? Yep. Is it ground breaking? No. Black drivers have been in Nascar before. Lester has been driving professionally for years. Heck, Danica Patrick did well in Indy cars long before everyone 'discovered' her after she qualified fourth at the Indy 500. As NASCAR says in a new ad campaign heralding their diversity, "there's room for everyone." There has been for years. As i've previously stated on numerous occasions, the NASCAR color(and sex) barrier has been gone for a long time. The biggest factor between minorities and NASCAR is drive, experience and time. You can't just put people in the driver's seat who don't belong there and haven't earned it. Women and minority drivers have had enjoyed a large presense in Drag Racing for years. But the difference between a drag racer and a oval circuit racer is huge. It takes years of racing from the time a person is too young to get a driver's license and the dedication of a finely tuned athlete. It won't happen overnight. For two years running, NASCAR has provided and funded a minority racing program to help "diversify" racing. It will help, but we need something more.... Here's my suggestion.
Attention Rich Vocal Minorities: I'm putting out challenge part two to the likes of Oprah, Kanye West, Jesse Jackson, the Rev. Al and various other minority bankers, investors, hollywood stars, gansta rappers, etc. Quit bitching that not enough is being done and put your money where your mouth is. Build a dirt track. Build a paved track. Start an inner city soap box derby league. Contribute to the program and start being part of the solution and less a part of the problem. Nothing in my mind is sadder or stupider than a bunch of minorities sitting around grousing for "someone" to fix a percieved inequity when the solution was at their fingertips all along. Racing takes time, money, dedication and money. Lots of white drivers don't make it because they lack one of those ingredients. Lots of minority drivers won't make it for the same reason. White folks aren't keeping black folks out of NASCAR. Their parents, friends, teachers, etc are. Popular society is telling our minority youth to strive to be basketball players, hip-hop singers, athletes and thugs. They should be telling them to strive to be scholars, engineers and politicians. The astronauts, race car drivers and fighter pilots will come along on their own. As previously stated, hip hop quashes dreams and re-enforces the negative stereotypes that minorities put on themselves. I'm sick and tired of minorities blaming everyone but themselves for not getting where they want to be. Let's celebrate Bill Lester's achievment, and not cheapen all he's put into it by making a huge deal out of it. He's just another rookie in the field who's earned a right to be there.

P.S. When Lester does start racing regular in the Cup series, and he has that same fat yellow rookie stripe that all the rookies put on their car, he will crash. He will have few friends. He will have a hard time. Like ALL the other rookies who came before him. If he doesn't perform in a reasonable amount of time, he'll be canned. It has nothing to do with color. Welcome to the big time, Bill. I hope you do well.

Black.White.Stupid

This nights entry is about the new 'social experiment' by rapper/actor/director/producer Ice Cube. Let me start this off with the one statement of truth that you would have suspected had I not said it in the first place. I haven't actually watched the show. So, you say, what do I have to say about a show I have not seen? Simply this. I will not watch a show that is in anyway associated with Ice Cube. For the same reason I wouldn't watch a show on race produced and directed by, shall we say, David Duke, I believe his views to be one sided and his motives questionable. For whatever reason, the media lends credit to his controversy and gives him air time in prime time. Sure he's done two (count 'em, two) successful movie series. He's made lots of music. He's a hell of a lot richer than i'll ever be. But none of this removes him from his roots. For example....

Word, but who the *uck has heard?
It's time to take a trip to the suburbs
Let em see a *igga invasion
Point blank for the Caucasian (reprinted w/o permission)

Does this sound like someone who should be on TV? The only people he seems to hate more than white ones are other black ones who don't subscribe to his particular coast of rap style. How we ever came to legitimize a style of "music" so steeped in civil disobedience, self-pity, disrespect for authority and general hatred is beyond me. Can you see a radio station airing a country group singing about going to the hood to blow away some nice black folk? But that's another rant for another day. My point is, that this is simply the wrong guy to be the face of racial understanding. Go to his website...he's handing out guns! His show will go down as simple entertainment that should have never been aired in the first place. Sadly, as previously discussed, racial harmony and diversity don't sell headlines and TV commercials, controversy does. I'll put this show in the same place as Wifeswap, The Bachelor and other "reality" crap. Put on 'Everybody Hates Chris' instead. Now THAT show was funny and worth watching.

Now, for those of you who will acuse me of bigotry, racism and other various crimes, let us sample one more bit of Ice Cube's "music." This from a more recent piece.

But you still in for some danger
And when i'm thru, I take your *itch and finger bang her
But if she looks tossed up, i'll slang her
Beat you like mama dearest with a clothes hanger

Now, if the basis of hip hop and rap is "keeping it real," (to maintain street cred), I fail to see the point of having it in the main stream. If this is what the kids want, it's no wonder we're in trouble. Call me Tipper if you want, but 99% of country, rock, pop, etc is not full of hatred, curse words, racial epitaphs and the general debasement of women. 99% of rap and a good chunk of hip hop is. 'Nuff said.

A Town Without Sin and Gay Adoptions...

Tonight I present polar opposite stories that just serve to point out how utterly stupid some people can be. Now before you jump to conclusions about who I think is being dumb here, READ!
First up, a trip down to south Florida where Tom Monagham (founder of Dominos Pizza) is building Ave Maria University. It's a privately funded roman catholic school with a curriculum of faith based learning. So far, so good. A developer is building a town next to the university with a huge (1100 seat) roman-catholic church at it's center. No problem there. Tom himself and the developer have stated emphatically that ALL (faiths, races) are welcome to live, learn or teach here. Great! The problem comes when word gets out that the founders might request that the town be 'sin free.' By this, as clarified by the founders, they mean adult type businesses are requested to stay away(IE porno shops, adult theaters, topless bars, etc.) and stores setting up shops in the town limits are requested to abide by roman-catholic beliefs by not selling contraceptives and such. (Bring in the lawyers!) Now, according to various pundits and civil rights advocates this amounts to absolute heresy! We are stomping on free speech, free enterprise and the all-american right to buy condoms. And by doing this we are probably telling gays and minorities that they are just not welcome. Gimme a break! Just because someone wants to build what in their mind is an idyllic community does not give anyone the right to assume that it's an underhanded attempt to build an all white, catholic, straight town. We are so quick to judge that the barbs were flying before the newsprint was dry on the page. Of course, I'm certain that if someone were to plan a community based on interracial marriage, gay rights and swing parties, the religious right would jump into full scale 'kill the sinners' mode. Just goes to show that you can't please all of the people ever and some people just don't want anybody outside of their circle of happiness to have their own kind of fun.
Our second story concerns the Roman Catholic bishops of Massachussetts who have asked that the churches' adoption agencies be exempted from state law requiring some adoptive children to be placed with gay parents. (Hands on cheeks in bad imitation of "Home Alone.") Heavens no!!!! Placing children in need with loving parents? MUST.... STOP..... NOW! OK, so the point is that the Pope himself has declared gay adoptions as 'gravely immoral.' The bishops claim that the state law takes away their religious freedom by requiring them to consider gay couples as adoptive parents. This from the bunch who rarely consider the right of young men not to have their booties popped by horny ol' priests. But I digress. Apparently the bishops haven't convinced everyone that they are right. Seven members of the Catholic Charities Board resigned their posts to protest the Bishops' request. It seems the board members think the bishops' position "undermines their moral priority of helping vulnerable children find loving homes." Halleluiah!!! Somebody has seen the light. In a nation brimming with needy, unwanted and unloved children and childless, loving couples willing to devote their lives to raising them, the last thing we need is the moral religious right trying to get out giving everyone a chance at being a loving, adoptive parent. Now, don't get me wrong. I have a great respect for people who stick to their religious guns. However....I don't think this is the time. In a time when adoption in the U.S. has become so restrictive that alot of couples choose to adopt from outside the country, the last thing we need is one more hang-up. Not that I have a problem with the growing trend of celebrities adopting from China and various third world countries. But can't we save a little more charity for home?