Today's post begins with the fractal called "Rings of Rainbow" I picked it because it vaguely resembles an eye and that eye and this is is about looking in our our national debate.
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Easter weekend I caught several bits on television that had me going “hmm” this weekend. (I wrote this a while ago and just haven’t had the time to post.) All of them are strangely related so I decided to comment. I’ll give you a bit of reportage, comment on each one separate then finish up with my larger point. Let us begin.
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Friday morning (April 6) I saw a screaming fight between Geraldo Rivera and Bill O’Reiley on The O’Reiley Factor. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLPuGuaZTx8 if you want to see the whole thing. (Hopefully it‘ll still be up on YouTube.) O’Reiley was asking Rivera about “Sanctuary Cities” (towns where the administration has decided not to pursue illegal immigrants) but somehow dragged the fact that an illegal alien had killed a woman while driving drunk. Rivera’s contention was that this was simply a drunk driving story while O’Reiley wanted to make it a benchmark to condemn illegal immigrants and those who support them. The whole thing got amazingly loud and, frankly, if it wasn’t so sad the whole thing would have been funny.
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OPINION BREAK: I feel very conflicted about this story. I agree with Rivera (shudder) that this is basically a “drunk driving” story. That being said, I’m not comfortable with the fact that the driver hadn’t been deported after committing other crimes. I’m not happy with a commentator using this case as a platform to condemn all illegal aliens or advocating mass deportation. Catching and deporting eleven million illegals simply isn’t feasible--physically or economically. But, then again, immigration a very complicated issue that will be with us for a long, long time.
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Saturday morning (April 7) while Robyn and I were having our “continental breakfasts” at our Hotel Fox News (???) was on the TV screen. Four “talking heads” were “debating” (I.e. shouting at the top of their lungs) about Rosie O’Donnell and her ultra-leftist blog. Three of the four seems to think Rosie should be fired by ABC, never be allowed back on TV again and probably run out of the country as well. Only one, (the only woman incidentally) said that it should be left up to the market place whether she be fired for her viewpoint.
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OPINION BREAK: no conflict whatsoever on this story. As a comedienne, actress and TV Host, I like Rosie O’Donnell a lot. But I think she can sometimes go a bit too far (OK way, way too far,) Still, she brings passion to her comments and I can’t see why her voice should be silenced--even if she is a crackpot. It seems odd that individuals who prides themselves on “defending freedom” should have citizens trying to squash that in another simply because they do not agree with their viewpoint. That’s just wrong. There ain’t no way to defend that no matter how hard you try.
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What really disturbs me the most is this: why must our national debate be carried on shouting over one another? Why is nobody listening to the other side and why aren’t they bothering to take on what they are saying in a reasoned manner? Isn’t there a place in the world for “civil disagreement” or must we all simply shout over one another until the winner is determined by whoever can scream loudest and longest?
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Sunday night (April 8) I was “channel surfing” and passed Fox News (seemingly my favorite channel for annoyance), One of their “talking heads” (again, I didn‘t catch the name) who was going on about how both the Far Left and Far Right “hated” Al Gore. Conservatives think his theories are “caca” (to politely paraphrase) while the Liberals deride him as a hypocrite for not “walking the walk” while he “talks the talk.” This gentleman (and I use the term very loosely) seemed to want to crucify Gore for both. He called Gore “stupid” and referred to him as “elitist” while never directly addressing what Gore said about global warming. He commented on the size of Gore’s home and the amount of energy it used--and even drug in the fact that Gore eats meat. (Cattle raising damages the environment but I’m not sure what that has to do with anything.)
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OPINION BREAK: there’s nothing worse than unfair attacks on political opponents. No matter what the viewpoint is, I have no problem with disagreement--but the editorialist ought to stick to the point Bringing in things that aren’t even related just isn’t fair. Al Gore is far from perfect but at least he’s trying to bring attention to the problem of global warming. Yes folks, global warming is real and the problem is getting worse. Doing something is better than sitting back and doing nothing. Come on people!
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Since I’ve been back home as of Monday (April 9) I’ve heard nothing but talk about Don Imus and has massive “oops” on the radio. (Can you believe that happened way back on April 4???) For anyone who has been living under a rock Imus characterized the Rutgers University Girl’s Basketball Team as “nappy-headed hos” among other things. Feel free to look for the whole transcript (I’m sure it’s on line somewhere) if you really want to know the rest, I ain’t printing it here . . .
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Imus has since apologized nonstop and arranged for a private meeting with the team and their families. (Maybe he should call it the “Apologymania” Tour.) This hasn’t stopped luminaries such as Jesse Jackson and the Reverend Al Sharpton from demanding he be fired. (Even Today Weatherman Al Roker has jumped on tha particular bandwagon.) MSNBC has since canceled their simulcast of his radio show and CBS decided to fire him from the radio after several advertisers pulled their sponsorship from his show. (The Rutgers basketball team met with Imus and accepted his apology but I guess it was too little too late.)
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OPINION BREAK: I’ve never been a fan of Don Imus (or any other “Shock Jock“ for that matter). What little I’ve heard of his talk show has always struck me as frankly mean-spirited and I don’t need that first thing in the morning (or any other time of the day). What he said was completely indefensible--not to mention monumentally stupid. That being said, I’m not sure Jackson or Sharpton have a lot of room to comment. Both these men have repeatedly bashed Whites in general and Jews in particular and gotten away with it. Not a good thing in my book. Don Imus has had a long history of denigrating pretty much everyone who crosses his path so it shouldn’t come as a big surprise when he’s insulting. That’s why his audience tuned in.
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Maybe it’s just because I’m a white male but I don’t find this all that upsetting. To me, this is a tempest of colossal proportions in a tiny teapot. Rappers and black commedians routinely use words like “niggaz” in their lyrics and refer to women as “bitches” and “hos”. Could someone please explain to me why it’s OK for them to use these words but not others. I don’t buy the argument that it comes “out of their culture” and the words are simply part of their daily lives. If you don’t want the words used against you please don’t use them yourselves.
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AND MY POINT IS . . .
Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press are long-standing privileges guaranteed by our constitution. And, like it or not that right includes speech that others might label “offensive.” Celebrities and newscasters are no different than anyone else: they have the same right as anyone else to speak--no matter how hateful or asinine their comments might be. We as entertainment consumers have a simple option. If we don’t like what we hear all we have to do is tune out, change the station or turn down the volume. Furthermore--we have the option of encouraging sponsors of their program to pull out. In the end--ratings and advertiser revenue will silence their voices and leave them to their fans.
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