Three Blind Mice Should Make No Comment (Please)

There was certain inevitability to the dialogue in the wake of the Treyvon Martin case involving what has been termed 'white on black' murder (in spite of the fact that George Zimmerman might also be considered Hispanic, since one of his parents is).  In the weeks that have followed since Zimmerman was found innocent of the charge of second degree murder, we have unfortunately had instead a number of examples of 'black on white' murders brought to our attention, and a constant stream of vitriolic commentary wondering why 2013's Three Blind Mice of Bigotry have failed to find a voice with which to speak out with the same never-ending stream of divisiveness that they did since the tragedy of young Mr. Martin's death.

Fortunately or unfortunately for those focused on retribution in this country, and depending on which bit of nonsense you were intent on promoting, the nation (and the rest of the world) has continued on it merry and murderous path to provide all of the examples of Humanity's worst behavior that anyone could possibly need.  Just in the last week, two of these 'black on white' murders apparently occurred when an 88 year-old WWII veteran named Delbert Belton was beaten to death in Spokane, WA; and a college baseball player named Christopher Lane was shot to death while jogging in Oklahoma.  These are just two of far too many murders that occurred in the US during that period in various racial combinations.  There are unfortunately, hundreds of examples of such crimes every week and thousands of examples every year, with families left to mourn loved ones whose lives have been tragically cut short by the misdeeds of others.  There's no real surprise in these statistics, but there is a sadness in knowing that it's been going on since Cain killed Able.

Regardless of the sentimental pronouncements by the left and right however, these deaths are not a clarion call for gun control, a product of the relaxation of marijuana laws, or (as our three undiscerning agent provocateurs of race baiting would have us believe) a continuing acknowledgement of right wing racism in this country.  After all, hundreds of thousands are dying in Syria for reasons that have nothing to do with race, car bombs explode and suicide bombers continue to ply their trade in events that have nothing to do with the drug cartels, and new mass graves continued to be discovered around the world in places that these three sightless test lab animals of discrimination have never spoken of.  

There are some however, who hold these three in contempt for the dearth of public statement on some of these recent acts, but I'm not one of them.  Oh don't get me wrong, there are strong feelings of contempt stirring in my bosom; but they're reserved for most of the pronouncements these three make and the policies they espouse, not their silence.  In fact I welcome it.  

The Reverend Al Sharpton, in spite of having a MSNBC pulpit five days a week, has remained curiously (and blessedly) silent in recent days.  Then again, Mr. Sharpton is no longer a young man, and perhaps he's a bit worn out from carrying that racial chip on his shoulder for so long.  His reputation after all, has only suffered over the years by the verbal ejections from his pie hole, going back as far as 1987 and the spotlight he brought to the case of Tawana Brawley.  His random and unreliable recitations since may have gained him some questionable status within his community over the years, but they've left him today with nothing to show for his efforts but some shiny suits and the dubious reward of a prime time venue on a failing network.  I'm afraid that the best that can be said about the Reverend Al these days is that the factual basis of his offerings are as anorexic as his appearance  He helps his cause most by refusing to contribute to the discussion.

Now the other Reverend, Jesse Jackson, finally did get around to issuing a statement on the Oklahoma shooting, but it was one so anemic that we can only assume that the Reverend was off his game during a week that saw members of his immediate family packed off to serve in a way that many other recent Illinois office holders have before them ... in jail.  In such banal statements however, the Reverend Jackson may have shown far more wisdom than one would normally give him credit for.  I would never suggest that in light of this family situation, the Reverend's time and attention might better be focused on his own problems (and bookkeeping); and I'm sure that his lack of attention simply means he's far too explaining the facts of life (and law) to his grandkids.  Besides, unlike most of his causes, the current ones present no opportunity for the kind of camera time used for fund raising, nor a corporation that might be held hostage for a healthy 'donation'.  I suspect that the Reverend, far more savvy than his MSNBC religious counterpart, will see the value of discretion and continue to lay low while public opinion swings away from his cause.

As for the President, his spokesman evidently had not been watching the television news (where the White House evidently gets all its information), and therefore was unable comment when recently queried.  Having returned from vacation, the Commander-in-Chief himself was instead busy touring some of the nation's centers of higher education, subtly threatening those institutions with a form of government scrutiny normally only reserved for oil and pharmaceutical companies.  Hinting vaguely at price controls while promoting the value of borrowing money from the government to pay the inflated costs for a largely valueless education in a stagnant economy; he likewise had nothing to say on these recent events.  With luck and good advice, I suspect that such silence will largely continue.  

The President after all, is pretty darn busy these days.   After getting up, it's time to draw (or erase) another red line to lead from behind while watching the ongoing slaughter occurring in Syria; all while discussing which side of the Egyptian 'Arab Summer' he's going piss off next (or is it more?).  Then it's time to issue a morning statement blaming the Republicans for wasting the country's time with hearings over the phony scandals in the IRS, the NSA, and the DOJ whose revelations continue to make his Administration look as crooked as (if not more so) than the one in Chicago that his former adviser Rahm Emmanuel runs.  Later he can take a short break from cover ups and political castigation to circumvent Congress by issuing a few regulatory changes, unconstitutionally delay the implementation of a law or two, and encroach on the separation of powers; but before you know it, it's time for lunch.  Then it's back to a busy afternoon of insulting his political opponents by accusing them of things they might do (but haven't yet), followed by issuing another statement decrying their unwillingness to work with (give in to) the guy who just insulted them without a fight on any issue on which he expresses an opinion (not a plan, just an opinion).   The next thing you know, it's time for dinner.  If there's not a taxpayer-funded awards ceremony or concert going on that evening that sequestration hasn't interfered with, there might be time to squeeze in a hard-hitting interview on getting a new puppy with Jim Colbert or Jimmy Fallon (I sometimes get those two mixed up); or maybe with some luck, some 'night putting' before bed. 

But listen, we're far better off if these three carriers of racial 'hoof in mouth' disease steer clear of pronouncements on such events.  Let's be honest, their inability to cast an objective light on the subject would not add to anything meaningful to the national dialogue.  Their normal divisiveness might in fact further inflame already incendiary tempers, rather than quiet them.  As for what the two Reverends might want to believe about their so-called exalted standings in the community where such discussions are involved, the need for their proselytizing is dubious at best and toxic at worst.  And as for the President, he could stand to learn a lesson in the value of leaving local affairs to the local leaders and saving his Solomon-like wisdom for what appears to be a wholly inadequate foreign policy.  

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) once said, "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."   My advice to our three rodent racial dividers would therefore be that when asked, they should stick to a consistent message:  

"No Comment!"

Racist Riptide

For those of us attempting to follow, assimilate, and interpret the story this week involving the remarks of Shirley Sherrod; it felt very much like swimming in a riptide. Now for those of you perhaps unfamiliar with the term, a riptide is a current that moves away from the direction of shoreward bound waves. Such a current is also known as an undertow, since it travels under the surface. Riptides are a great danger, as even the best swimmers can be drawn so away from shore by these swiftly moving waters that they find themselves unable to return to the safety of shore; and eventually they drown.

So too were we drawn hither and yon (and farther from the safety of the shore of reason) by unseen currents in this story. First the edited video released on Breitbart.com led many to believe that this was a story of racism on the part of Ms. Sherrod as she spoke of resenting, ill serving, and finally helping a white farmer in Georgia. Then those who took the time to look closer and listen to her speak more carefully of this as a seminal moment in her life, saw the direction shift as she told us of learning that this situation was not about race relations in this country.

The story quickly changed direction again however as the NAACP and the USDA quickly moved to censure Ms Sherrod, decrying the racism that their first  interpretation led them to; with her federal government employers apparently demanding her resignation (at what level this demand may really have come from may yet in fact be a story).

The currents shifted again however, as those in powerful places either finally looked at the entire speech (or at least the entire originally aired video). Apologies were offered (along with renewed employment) and both Mr Breitbart and Fox News were blamed for the undertow of opinion caused by bringing any of this to light (I believe that this tactic is known as "shooting the messenger".) and for the apparently floundering attempts made by the government and NAACP to now swim to safety in these treacherous waters.

Now as the waves appears to have settled on the surface at least for the moment, those left are carefully attempting to make their way once again to safety of shore. They should remain careful however, for we are still left with some potentially uncomfortable currents that must navigated:

• While Ms Sherrod was apparently using this anecdote as a teaching moment, her speech did talk about turning the white farmer over to "one of his own kind", the kind of lightning rod of a phrase that could still be considered racist language when used in any speech, especially by one in government service. Many have been brought down by far less.
• Ms Sherrod's teachable moment taught her that such inequity was not a racist struggle, but a class struggle. This apparent epiphany moving her from potential racism to potential socialism does not appear to disturb many yet (and fear of falsely accusing Ms Sherrod of such sentiments at this point may prevent any follow up questioning on such beliefs). Such protection may not last forever however, unless the story disappears into the B section of the news.
• Ms Sherrod might have reached that teachable moment many years ago, but apparently the audience at this relatively recent NAACP dinner might still be looking for theirs, as they laughed and clapped at the ill treatment that she described performing on a person of another race.  (This likewise seemed to draw little attention, either in fear of further racist charges or because of selective inattention.)
• This is the only speech to have come out of either Ms Sherrod or an NAACP event since the battle lines were drawn with the Tea Party movement. One might suspect that as time goes on, other equally embarrassing moments on the part of either may yet surface.

Additionally, we have discovered that watching presidential press and cabinet secretaries drowning in their own misstatements while attempting to set records in the Olympic backstroke is a swimming event painful to watch on television. Watching them follow it with the political version of the Australian crawl in the same 24 hour news cycle is almost too painful for words. Speaking of words, watching the liberal left media go into a feeding frenzy over a prior feeding frenzy on the right is to mainstream media what watching the fat man Mr Creosote from "Monty Python, The Meaning of Life" is to eating. I for one am embarrassed and ashamed for most of those who claimed either the titles of journalist or pundit.

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There is little doubt that many of these swirling currents developed as a result of the NAACP condemning racism in the Tea Party movement. There is likewise little doubt that some in the conservative media used selective inattention when watching and listening to this video to drum up their own particular brand of vitriol and feed red meat to certain rabid parts of their audiences.

On the other hand the NAACP and the federal government seemed to have a similar disability when reviewing the same material, drew many of the same initial conclusions, and tarred and feathered Ms Sherrod with apparently equal zeal and relish.

Finger pointing therefore, that will be attempted by both sides with vigor over the coming days, will probably come to little in the end. There is little doubt however, that riptides like the one that we have just experienced can be dangerous places to swim when you are caught in the middle of them, and perhaps none can be so deadly as those shark-infested waters that the term "racism" seems to create any time its used.

Perhaps all will become a little more careful when wading into these waters, and like Ms Sherrod in her video, use this as a teachable moment (though I do hate that phrase).

Sign, Sign, Everywhere A Sign

In the days following the NAACP resolution to condemn racism in the Tea Party movement, charges and counter charges have been flying back and forth faster than the tennis balls at the recent Wimbledon tennis tournament. The mainstream media, long seeking to demonize this grassroots movement in some way and performing its function as a cheerleader for the left, has likewise been attempting to give some traction to the accusations voiced by the NAACP during its Kansas City convention. While no audio clips from any of these gatherings has yet to be produced as an illustration of such sentiments, there have been a number of photographs used to reinforce the accusations of racial intolerance.

Most if not all of these examples involved signs and posters carried by participants at rallies across the country. Some of these obviously homemade efforts were clever in the way that they attempted to illustrate the maker's frustration with what's going on in this country and some were in questionable taste and may have crossed the line in that same attempt (something particularly easy in our PC society). Some of these efforts might even be interpreted as racist (especially by someone predisposed to do so) in the maker's attempt to show anger against the policies that the federal government has been pursuing, though much of that frustration began long before Barack Obama became president.

I hate to tell you folks, but that's the nature of political discussion in this country. Some will be reasoned debate, some will be argumentative but necessary, and some will simply be regrettable examples of the poor behavior that large gatherings of people are capable of. For myself, I do not think that any of what has been reported could prove that there is racism at the heart of the Tea Party Movement, rather than righteous anger against the policies of the federal government in general and the egregious abuses of this administration in particular. I believe however, that any group that's attempting the level of political change that this one is needs to be especially careful about policing itself. I therefore suggest the following:

No posters at Tea Party gatherings!

Let's face it folks, the posters are not there to educate others at the gathering (they already know why they're there), they are there to illustrate individual grievances. Many more are simply a natural product of the frustration felt and perhaps simply an effort to vent it. Some, like posters at sporting events, concerts, and in television audiences however, are little more than shameless attempts to get a camera to focus on them. This "look at me" attitude does nothing to advance the cause that these groups feel so passionately about, and leaves the door open for poorer examples to potentially embarrass and humiliate such groups. They also allow groups with opposing points of view the opportunity to infiltrate such gatherings and demonize them with fabricated extremist visual offerings.

It was the Five Man Electrical Band back in 1971 that recorded the classic song by Les Emmerson, "Signs", with the singer complaining that signs everywhere were "breaking my mind". I would have to say that the lyrics are probably more relevant today then they were at the time that this song was recorded. We have enough road signs (especially those illustrating payment for projects by Stimulus funding), billboards, and posters in the world; and the elimination of signs at Tea Party rallies would be a welcome reduction.

Besides, it would be a tragedy for such a necessary movement in this country to be derailed by what may be little more than visual attempts at self-aggrandizement. The signs and posters at Tea Parties may not break anything, but they could do damage to perhaps this country's best hope in taking back control of its government. I can only hope that the movement will see "the Signs" out there leave the signs at home.

Racism & Illegal Immigration

I have come to believe that racism and illegal immigration in this country share a bond, and not the one that most would think. While this is just one man's opinion, it appears to me that the any current meaningful discussion of either race or illegal immigration in this country quickly devolves into one of power and concession. Special interest groups from both causes, mindful of the opportunity to cash in a winning ticket in the entitlement lottery, shout out their claims for special treatment while attempting to further the Balkanization of this country into areas of segregated victimization and prviliege.

Race is, and should remain an important ongoing discussion in this country, but not in its current degraded form. Today as each minority group grows in numbers and opportunities, this discussion has inevitably turned to one of power and entitlement, even over each other. This sad display becomes more tragic to watch, as one realizes that each group is trying to assert a greater degree of victimization in life as a way to get a better seat at the table, instead taking advantage of the many open seats available. Anyone who point out this as false perception are shouted down as traitors to their own kind however, while being denounced in the media as misguided at best, bigoted at worst. In the end, the realization begins to sink home that all each minority group appears to require from us is acquiescence to the demand that as a society, we kowtow to its individual needs and recognize a need to repay them for some past offense or misdeed.

Likewise, the discussion of immigration has become one of obfuscation, separation, and recrimination. First the issue of the legality of entry becomes confused with the race or place of origin of the illegal immigrant. Next, we are assaulted with concepts foreign to our very founding, by being given a choice of either turning this country into a walled enclave or ignoring the law of the land to suit the special needs of a special interest group. Finally the discussion turns to what entitlements that people who are not supposed to be here in the first place deserve in the name of compassion. Attempts to cut through this morass of rhetorical nonsense are often met with claims of bigotry and racism in order to divert attention from the actual problem at hand.


(Ah, the connection now becomes apparent.)

The solution to both however seems simple in concept to me, if difficult in execution. It is a return to the principles on which this country was founded on and which have inspired so many people to seek residence in this country from foreign lands. These are simply that personal responsibility and respect for the rule of law are paramount in our country. Everyone is welcome to enjoy all of the freedoms that this country has to offer as long as they follow the rules. Take these as givens, and both situations could then be resolved using the following principles:

1. First and foremost, you are not a victim and therefore are not entitled to any kind of special treatment. If you need help, you will get it. If you need a kick in the butt, you will get that too. If you feel that you are entitled to never-ending taxpayer support or legal set aside for some grievance real or imagined, you will be disappointed.

2. If you need an education, get one. That includes not only primary and secondary education, but even college, technical, or language learning where required. (We could probably pay for some part of this with the money not used to build the wall.) Learning is, and always was one of the keys to success in this country and in many cases, it is the standard by which you will be judged. You must however take advantage of this opportunity without demanding special privilege, as you have no more right to learning than anyone else.

3. If you need a job, get one. Now some will say that some jobs don't pay enough, or that there are jobs which Americans simply won't do. I say that Americans do every kind of nasty job on the planet, from hauling trash to cleaning septic tanks. I further say that there is no job that someone won't do for the right amount of money. The wages that illegal immigrants are willing to accept are far less than they should be, but far greater than they can earn in their own countries or they wouldn't be here in the first place. Stop the influx of illegal immigration, punish employers for hiring anyone here illegally at these substandard wages, and employers will be forced to pay more for "those" jobs. Raise the wages paid for these labors and more people will be willing to do them.

4. Do not (repeat), do not build a wall around this country. I do not care to live behind the next "Iron Curtain" if it's all the same to you, and I do not believe that it will make anyone any safer. All it will do is provide another massive opportunity for government waste, graft, and misuse of taxpayer money; and make those who wish to break the law operate more creatively in subverting it. ("Fixed fortifications are monuments to man's stupidity." George S. Patton)

5. If you are in this country illegally, you will be asked to change that status or you will be asked to leave. This is a country where "the rule of law" holds sway. No one is above it, regardless of their personal circumstances. Save us the story of how long you have been here and the sacrifices you made to get here. Just as "ignorance of the law" is not an excuse, neither is a touching story. It might make a good book or movie some day, but has no bearing on your situation.

6. Do not expect future reparations for some past act of history. The evils of the past were not done to you personally and clinging to them will only prevent you from succeeding. I don't care if your land was taken from you or you were taken from your land, you are not a victim of history. You are here now and have the same chance as everyone else (If you choose to take it).

Oh sure, it's a bit more complicated than what I've laid out here, but surprisingly I believe, not much more. Of course the first thing that has to happen is an open discussion of these subjects without either the assumption of guilt by the majority or the assumption of victimization and entitlement by the minorities. Once we have crossed over that mountain, the rest is simply about how to truly level the playing field. Just remember that the United States is a land of opportunity, not a guarantee of success. You will get out of life what you put in it, no more.