The anti-Wesley Snipes movement continues on - 12.18.2007.1

If I told you that an A-list American actor made a public announcement about the government and its injustice, and no one covered it, would you believe me. Think about that.

When Ellen DeGeneres cried about a puppy, it was news for 2+ days. When Rosie O’Donnell got into a battle of name calling with Donald Trump, it was news for over a month. When Anna Nicole Smith died, 3 months. And Paris Hilton has been a week each incident. And that’s just off the top of my head.

How much news did Hanoi Jane Fonda get in her various anti-America rants? Or Sean Penn? Bill Maher? The major news media seems to salivate any time that a celebrity or entertainer makes an announcement or is in the news.

But there is a difference. Even in the worst cases of the news that was apparently targeting bad behavior there is a difference. At the worst of news on David Hasselhoff, Lindsey Lohan, Alec Baldwin, or Don Imus there was a sense of sympathy.

But when the A-lister is African American things change. Compare any of the coverage I’ve mentioned above with the coverage of James Brown’s death, OJ Simpson, Al Sharpton, Michael Vick, or Wesley Snipes as an example. Particularly Wesley Snipes at this moment.

Back in late 2006 there was an onslaught of news about charges made by the Government against Mr. Snipes. There were quick and deliberate statements made, while Mr. Snipes was out of the country working (which I think the Government knew considering the resources available to them).

I stated in October 2006

“I have some issues with this whole thing. First is the fact that the government accepted an amended claim of 0 income and made a refund of $7,000,000 without a red flag popping up is not Mr. Snipes fault. I would think someone would have noticed before now. And to suddenly issue a warrant without contacting an individual that has international travel as a normal course of business seems extreme. So far as has been reported no attempt to contact Mr. Snipes has been done.”

I then went on to say in that same post

“As a celebrity it would not be unusual for him to be on vacation, or on a trip, outside the country or in seclusion. It would not be strange for Mr. Snipes to be working on a film somewhere in the world, and not immediately aware of what is going on here in the United States.”

To my knowledge there was not a single major news media organization, nor the U.S. government, that stated the abovementioned thought. 2 days later I was proven correct.

“Well I’m not sure if Mr. Snipes is exactly innocent, but I do agree that he is being railroaded. The media has worked hard to portray him negatively, though there have been no facts to go on.”

Continued in Part 2...

Random items - 4.30.2007.1

So it was another week of surprising events. Mr. Alec Baldwin captured the attention of the nation. Whether it was the anti-spanking crowd or father rights groups, virtually all of the pundits seemed to have a comment. Perhaps the surprising talking head was that of Ms. Rosie O’Donnell who surprisingly was on Mr. Baldwin’s side. That was unexpected.

The announcement by Ms. O’Donnell that she would be leaving the View was hardly a surprise though. I think most non-extreme left of center individuals were expecting this, and obviously Disney was considering this on almost a daily basis. I can truly say I won’t miss her often unfounded rants. And just for the record it seems obvious to me that she was fired.

In more entertaining news, Star Wars fans take note. Mr. George Lucas, and Mr. Mark Hamill have agreed to work on an adaptation of the Star Wars storyline for a special episode of Robot Chicken. For those not familiar with the Robot Chicken series, it’s on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim program block. The series parodies everything from movies to television shows to everyday events or unique items from the surprisingly inventive minds of co-creators Mr. Seth Green and Mr. Matthew Senreich. Fans of the show have seen several parody skits of the Star Wars movies, but this new project will be a full half-hour and will also include the actual Chewbacca and R2D2 soundfiles. Isn’t that interesting. What may happen is really anyone’s guess but I have no doubt it will be funny and very different. Keep an eye out for this one.

I have to ask, is NASCAR really that big a deal? I hadn’t known a single person who ever watched more than a highlight of this before I moved to this small town of Binghamton. Now I see many who ask about people I’ve never heard about. To be honest 90% of those who discuss NASCAR scare me, and it’s not because of their sports preference. Anyway, the reason for even mentioning racing is that Mr. Tony Stewart likened NASCAR to pro wrestling. In essence he stated that a portion of the caution flags that have been used in races were staged thus altering the outcomes. This is similar to the massively staged wrestling programs that seem to have infectiously propagated cable television in recent years. The suggestion by Mr. Stewart is that this use of flags somehow intensifies the enjoyment of racing fans. I don’t get it.

First of all it’s a bunch of guys going around making left turns. For hours. While I can understand the need for endurance, I wouldn’t call it athletic. While it is difficult driving at such high speeds, I hardly equate it with the levels of skill needed to play professional football, soceer, or other such sports. F-1 racing at least has some right turns. What can I say, I find it slightly more mind-numbing than wrestling. That is a hard thing to be. But maybe some of the readers will be glad to know this news, if they don’t already. I’m sure it will be a big controversy in racing.

But since I’m on the subjects of gratuitous violence and numbing minds, I should also mention I noticed a bit dealing with the FCC. The Federal Communication Commision seems to want to influence the violent programs on TV, something they don’t currently have regulation over. I fear if they get the authority to do this. Besides the schizophrenic attitudes that the FCC has, as seen by the amount of flesh shown in various soap operas and primetime television shows for decades now yet the insane freakout that the FCC has after 5 seconds of Ms. Janet Jackson’s breast being exposed, the First Amendment is at issue. That goes without saying that parents need to be involved with what their kids see, and lack of viewers will determine what stays on television. Even if that means the public chooses programs like WWE Raw, American Idol, The Apprentice and their ilk. In my opinion.

Seriously, name one thing the government regulates well. Ma Bell (the old AT&T) was broken up to lower telephone costs and the cost went up. The FDA screws up medications on a regular basis. The Department of Education hasn’t done well for 40 years and the DMV speaks for itself (ok, that’s on the states but you get the point). If the FCC regulates any more on television kiss NFL footage good-bye.

Pay attention. It’s like what I say about Presidential candidates, ask questions or you’ll get stuck with something you can’t do anything about. Just a few late night thoughts.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Alec Baldwin part 2 - 4.25.2007.2

Continued from Alec Baldwin Part 1...

I’ll give you an example from my own life. When I was a young teen I decided to cut school with a friend on a Friday. I was a good student, a smart kid, and respectful of my elders. But when a friend suggested cutting school on a really nice weather day, I did it. I also got caught. When my father found out I was scolded in a similar manner to what Mr. Alec Baldwin did to his child. Perhaps not as harsh, but to many these days that think spanking a child is a vile act I’m sure it was no less intense. I was not ‘altered for life’ nor was anything else other than understanding that I failed to respect my mother and do what expected of me.

Being a smart kid, my logic told me on the following Monday, that I could cut school again. Who would ask after the threat of a beating given on Friday? Smart as I was, my logic was flawed. I was caught again. When my mother awakened me and my siblings she had only one thing to say, “Your father is in the living room.” I was justifiably fearful. After my father explained in detail the travails he had to endure to reach me and my siblings that Monday night, with a few expletives included, he hauled me into a room and proceeded to “straighten my ass out” on the concept of listening to my mother and respecting the words both of them had said to me. It was a vigorous lesson that involved few words. Again I was not scarred for life. I was reminded that respect of my parents and elders was an obligation that actions have consequences, and decisions may not always have the outcomes you expect or want. Pretty good life lessons I think. I also learned that if I’m going to do something I need to plan well. Sorry mom, but I did cut school again, in my later teens, but I learned to be smart enough about it to make sure I didn’t get caught. Another lesson of sorts, depending on how it is applied.

The point of this is simply that parents have outburst. Some are justified, some not. A child that has been cared for directly by their parents (or grand-parents) with discipline, involvement, and physical punishments when needed (and in moderation) turn out as often as not to be well adjusted adults. But as more parents that can afford to do so use therapists, drugs, and the latest books’ theory on child-raising the kids seem to be more screwed up than ever. No system is perfect as is no parent. But I have found more parents acting like my own in the Black and Hispanic communities than in others.

But in listening to Mr. Baldwin I am reminded to an extent of my parents. Not perfect, he was over the top, but similar. He was obviously frustrated because he loves his child. IF you’ve heard the full call you will know that. He knew he was wrong and apologized long before anyone else in the world heard word one. He has never been accused of any abuse to his child ever.

What has been horribly abusive is that a private conversation was released to the world. His daughter has been embarrassed in front of her peers and the world. Somehow, someone let this private call get out to the public. IF it was Mrs. Kim Bassinger, that was an abusive act.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Alec Baldwin voicemail - 4.25.2007.1

Well I mentioned that I would discuss this so hear it is. Most should have heard about Mr. Alec Baldwin’s taped message to his daughter. I have heard a great deal about the reactions various talking heads have had about the tape, but of the ones I’ve heard talking about this I noticed not one was African American and I presume that more than a few believe in the ‘time-out’ and nanny philosophies in raising children. I will admit I have no direct evidence for my beliefs but it is based on my observations of their comments in various items dealing with children, and I may well be wrong.

There is a reason I directly mention the apparent lack of commentators that are African American (on the news programs I have seen). Of the black families I am aware of, spoken to, and was raised in this is not such a big deal. Yes Mr. Baldwin went overboard. He went too far, and significantly less reported was the fact that he recognized this and apologized to his daughter. That apology was before this voice mail was released by ‘someone’ to the public.

But I don’t think it was that big a deal. I have no doubt that similar outbursts have occurred in virtually every family in the world since probably the dawn of time. Many may not have been as harsh, and probably an equal number were worse. Unlike the pundits and talking heads I don’t see this as a “traumatic life altering event.” That is until the entire world was given access to this private matter. Normally I don’t comment on private matters of entertainers and celebrities but this one I will.

Every Black family has had a moment like this, to my knowledge. It happens. It doesn’t ruin the child nor is it abuse. The term abuse is so overused these days as to minimize what is the real damage actual abuse can cause. Perhaps if there were fewer parents that let television raise their kids, fewer time-outs, and fewer nannies raising children there would be fewer Virginia Tech and Columbine events. Being a parent isn’t about being the best friend of your child first, or following some rulebook that was created in the last 30 years, or never looking in your kids room. In the multiple millenniums of parents raising children, it’s only been the last maybe 40 years where books were necessary. Interesting how in that same timeframe the incidence of child violence (like Columbine, and child on child violence in all its forms) has grown; becoming a recurring tragedy now as opposed to a rare atrocity previously.

That is except in poor, non-white, inner city areas. There are no fewer guns today than in the last century probably. Gangs are as prevalent as ever. Drugs are prolific. Yet the overwhelming predominance of mass murderers, serial killers and other vile fiends are not found in inner cities. Shouldn’t someone ask why?

I think it’s because African American, Latino/Hispanic, and other minority families believe in the child having fear and respect for their parents, friendship is reserved for after the child being a grown adult. Notice that fear is the first part of the combination. That does not mean I condone terrorizing, or abusing a child. It does mean that a rod should not be spared, and over the top reactions to minor actions should cease.

Continued in part 2...