Rootsie

Don Imus got toppled off his throne for making a comment which has been typical of him for years. Why now? Maybe because he's also calling Cheney a war criminal these days? Sean Hannady called Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney a "ghetto slut" and referred to her "nappy" head a few months back and nobody pulled his license to spew.

Whatever those white boys did NOT do to that black girl on that fated evening, rest assured that they called her things that leave Don Imus's remarks in the shade. And not from miles away either. And nobody but nobody is talking about that this week. The Duke kids are being painted as innocent martyrs victimized by a self-seeking prosecutor. Yeah right. No matter how self-seeking, no prosecutor in his right mind would pursue a case with no merit at all. I also think of what it would be if I were the mother of one of those lacrosse players, how horrified and ashamed I would be of the behavior which no one disputes.

In the Imus case, immediately, the finger gets pointed at black rappers, even by black 'pundits' who feel that Imus was merely reflecting what has become acceptable discourse about black females, only offensive because it's a white saying the ugly things.  I have no intention of wading into that swamp of history and internalized oppression. As a white I in fact feel that I have no right at all to talk about it.

The events of this week have simply served to highlight the ridiculous stupidity of the discourse on race in this country. Yet again, whites have written a script that exonerates them from complicity, and paints certain of them as martyrs and corporations as anti-racist heroes.

Surprise surprise.