Free To Be... Stupid

Exhibit A: The Book Display

Recently, there was a controversy concerning a book display in a Florida Barnes & Noble store, in which someone inserted a book about "monkeys" right in the middle of a group of books about our 44th President. And, this comes just a few weeks after the New York Post "monkey cartoon" incident. The spokesperson for Barnes & Noble said that they believe that, more than likely, a customer was the culprit in this case. I believe them. After the hue and cry over that cartoon, no business in their right mind is going to do something like that... but, some idiot customer who still can't get over the notion of a black president would.

Exhibit B: The Birth Certificate

Then, you have the numbskulls who are trying to say that Barack "Hussein" Obama, as they like to call him (with extra emphasis on "Hussein") to not so subtley infer that he is somehow related to the late Iraqi strongman, are saying that the president was not born in the United States and, therefore, is not the legitimate Commander in Chief. These idiots have even gotten two soldiers presently serving in Iraq to go along with this insanity. They are demanding that the president produce his birth certificate to prove that he's an American citizen.

I would get angry but, it's a free country and people are free to expouse any idiotic idea they choose, so long as they don't hurt anyone. These people certainly aren't hurting anyone other than their own image. There are important things to be concerned about right now and someone drawing a cartoon, placing a book in a book display, or demanding that the president produce his birth certificate aren't even distractions. They cause me to shake my head and chuckle a bit but, they will not distract me from the things that I am most concerned about.

Exhibit C: The Email

However, the Southern California mayor who shared an email with a black colleague that portrayed a field of watermelons on the white house lawn with the caption "No Easter Egg Hunt This Year" and then said that he "had no idea that the watermelons was a racial stereotype", will NOT get the benefit of the doubt from me. If he's telling the truth then, I think he should present HIS birth certificate and prove to me that HE is an American citizen.

There is no way that he lived in America for over 40 years and not been thorougly versed on all of the negative stereotypes heaped on not just African-Americans but, Native Americans, Asians, Latinos, gays, and women. I could add the Irish, Italians, and Jews to the mix too. It's just part of growing up in this country... racially and culturally stereotyping other people.

We all do it. We all tell these kind of jokes when we are alone in our respective tribes and giggle together. When this ugliness gets out into the mainstream media for all to see, we then pretend to be shocked, appalled, and act as though this is the first time we are hearing or seeing this kind of thing. And, that is why this type of thing doesn't shock me, surprise me, and now... doesn't even get me angry. It's just more dirt that I'm going to brush off of my shoulders while keeping my eyes and ears open to what is really important and I advise every well-meaning American to do the same.

Exhibit D: The Radio Talk Show Host

And, to Rush Limbaugh: Thank you... your stupidity inspires me everyday to read more books and to continue to educate myself.