..."it" being commenting on L'Affaire Gates. It's already much ado about not much... waaay too much ado, actually. But... seeing as how we've all read and heard too much about this stupidity already I don't think I'll hurt things by adding a couple of "don't miss" articles/posts on the subject.
First... David Burge has a guest posting at his place of bid'niz. The lede and link:
Cambridge Police Profiling Still A Grim Reality for Harvard Faculty AssholesHeh. RTWT*, as we bloggers acronymize.
Guest Opinion
by Professor John Evans Evans-John
Harvard School of Harvard Faculty Asshole Studies
Harvard University
When I first learned of the arrest of my colleague Professor Henry Louis "Skip" Gates after he stood up to the fascist jackboots of a declasse, ill-educated Cambridge police officer, I was of course angered -- but scarcely shocked. L'Affaire Gates simply aired, in public, the dirty 100-thread-count table linen of an American culture where Harvard faculty assholes still face a daily struggle against profiling, abuse, and insolence.
It will come as no surprise that Skip's arrest was the talk of the Douchebag Room at the Harvard Faculty Club last Friday. I and a group of colleagues had assembled for our weekly lunch; I opted for their competently-prepared Ahi Tuna Tartare and an amusing glass of '05 Hospices de Beaune Premier Cru Cuvee Cyrot-Chaudron. I had noticed that the Franz Fanon Memorial Booth -- Skip's long-reserved lunch spot -- was uncharacteristically empty, and asked our waiter Sergio for an explanation.
"Professor Skeep, he no is come today," said Sergio. "I tink he is in the jail."
And Lex, he speaks for me: "they both suck." All three of 'em suck, if ya wanna include The Most Powerful Man In The World, who started the whole brouhaha with a statement to the effect of "... I don't know the facts, but..." Frickin' ROOKIE.
There. I'm done.
* Read The Whole Thing.
Likewise, Buck. I didn't want to do it either, but the pull was so strong...
ReplyDeleteYea, a good cop being racked through the mud by a race pimp professor and the President…yup, much to do about nothing.
ReplyDeleteMust disagree with ya’ Buck, race relations and everything related to such is important.
I’m tired, and I think many others are as well, of the BS of false accusations and attempted silencing of differing opinions (read White) and just plain innocent dialogue related to race in America. It’s gotten out of hand and this is the antithesis of what Pres. Obama has tried to play himself of - post racial. He is anything but, along with most of Black America I’m afraid.
Maybe you’ve lived too long away from the dirty realities of city life to remember but I see this crap WAY too often. This wasn’t “nothing”, this was just par for the course and it’s got to end or I’m afraid things could get ugly, very ugly.
Race relations in this country are such that I never dare comment on posts about race. I'm white & from AL you know, which invites all kinds of preconceived & nasty notions & comments. Obviously, since I'm from AL, I can't use my brain for anything other than prejudice...
ReplyDeleteI think that's actually called "racism".
Now -- don't you feel better getting that over with?
ReplyDeleteI've said it before nad I'll say it again: Move along, folks. There's nothing to see here.
Andy: I hear ya.
ReplyDeletetim: You might be right. We don't see a lot... if any... outright racism here in P-Ville. And I don't mean to diminish the need to talk about racism in all its forms. It's just that I get SO damned sick of the race-baiters and the Grievance Industry in this space, both of whom were out in force where the Gates thing is concerned. I'm old enough to have seen racism at its ugliest in the way-back, and to quote a certain cigarette ad: "We've come a long way, baby." But not far enough, apparently.
MissBL: I hear you, too. I'm a Jawja Boy by birth and well understand what you're on about.
Moogie: Well... I'm not all that sure I feel better about it. But like Andy sez: the pull was too strong. And it beat me.
I went over to Lex's place and read through his comments - interesting views. I went over to Lost Fart of Blogging and watched a video of Chris Rock on "how not to get your ass kicked by police." The video gave humor to the situation, although I know it is not humorous in real life.
ReplyDeleteLou: I read Lex's comments, as well, and found them MOST interesting. FWIW I think he has the best comments section of any/all blog(s) I read. Always thought-provoking, and civil.
ReplyDelete