"Nappy Headed Hos"

Don Imus called the Rutgers basketball team "nappy headed hos".

OK, America. Calm Down

Was it offensive? Yes.
Was it racist? Yes.
Did it really deserve the attention that it was given? No.

The aftermath of the Imus comment was the most undeserved media circus since the Michael Jackson trial.

Imus was a shock jock. He was paid to piss people off. You really can't expect someone in that profession to be an upstanding member of society.

He was fired. He deserved it.

But America as a whole needs to breath before making such rash decisions.

I'm not black and I'll never understand what structual racism is like.

This being said there are a few things I'd like to say;

I don't think everyone should have been so upset.
I don't think a racist comment made by a shock jock should be taken heart.
I don't think a public apology means shit to Imus.
I don't think this reaction is good for America.

Sometimes we need to accept that the world isn't politically correct.

I'm not trying to say these sort of comments should be allowed, I'm saying that an overzealous reaction to them is potentially just as dangerous.

If reactions like this continue our society will continually grow more and more sterile to the point that it no longer reflects the reality.

At that point someone might even find a commercial about a robot jumping off a bridge offensive.

Oh shit...

Reflection on a Cruel World

I left class yesterday and saw CNN covering the Virgina Tech shooting.

32 dead. 30 injured.
Terrible.
Yet I wasn't really moved at all.

I saw Columbine.
I saw 9/11.
I saw the bombs hit Baghdad.
I've accepted that things like this happen in this world.

And that is the real tragedy.

We live in a world where by the age of 20 a man can be so jaded from all of the violence and destruction around him that he doesn't care that 30 innocent people were murdered.

They're going to blame it on movies.
They're going to blame it on television.
They're going to blame it on video games.
But what no one ever thinks about is that systematic genocide existed before all of those things.

We live in a harsh, terrible, unrelenting world.

Ironically it was a beautiful day in St. Louis.

"Intolerable"? Come On...

So about a month ago the story broke that several St. Louis Police Officers used World Series tickets they had confiscated from scalpers.

Last week 8 officers were suspended and Police Chief Joe Mokwa requested a pay reduction that would cost each officer about $20,000 a year. He referred to their decisions as "intolerable".

Eight Men Out. How Ironic.

While I'm aware that their actions were extremely unprofessional, I have only one response;

Come on...

They took tickets from scalpers.
They gave the tickets to their family and friends.
They returned the tickets to evidence.

No one was hurt. No evidence was damaged.
And a couple people got to see the Cardinals win a World Series game.

Sounds more like a job perk rather than a $20,000 infraction.

Loosen up people.

American Beauty

Yesterday in the City of Overland in St. Louis voters decided to recall Mayor Ann Purzner.

Purzner's year long tender had been filled with nothing but accusations and scandal.

One of the greatest beauties of the American Government System is the concept of the recall.

It stands as an ever present warning to politicians.
It actually gives citizens real power in their government.
It makes the politicians servants of their people.
It says "Do your job right or we'll find someone who can do it better".

Today the people of Overland have done a beautiful thing.

Let's hope it catches on.

Product (red)

A widespread campaign known as Product (Red) was launched late last year.

The idea behind it is to develop a brand that lets consumers know that part of their money is going to towards fighting AIDS in Africa.

Quite a few large companies have signed on including Motorola, Gap, Giorgio Armani, American Express, Converse and Apple.

Guess who spearheads the organization.

That's right, Bono.

If you read the "manifesto" posted above (Red) explained that by using more (Red) products and services we can save our brothers and sisters in Africa.

Product (Red) has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising making the world aware of their plan to fight AIDS in Africa.

We should all go out and consume our way to a better world.

Fucking useless after Joshua Tree

Here's to "Scooter" Libby

In the past few years I've been disillusioned by the United States Government. No need to go into the specific reasons why but there are plenty.

Up until Tuesday I thought that the government was inefficient, corrupt and hopeless.

But then came a long a true hero.

A man who proved that no matter how high up, no matter how well protected, no matter how corrupt, the United States Justice System can grab you by the balls and bring you down.

The man I refer to is Lewis "Scooter" Libby.

Today I raise my glass to "Scooter", a true American, who gave me faith in my country again.

New York Bans "Nigger"?

On February 28 New York City banned the use of the word "nigger" claiming that it is one of the most hateful words in the English language.

While there is no actual punishment for using the word, the idea was that musicians and comedians would take the initiative and stop using the word.

Say what you want about the word.

You can never say it.
You can say it with hatred
You can drop the "r".

It doesn't really matter.

What's important here is that New York City just banned a word.

A word.

I'm glad City Hall in the Big Apple has so much stuff to do.