Thomas Sowell on Equality, Politics and Race

Larry Elder on the Race Card

Mark Ruffalo--An Avenger to Check White Privilege?

Mark Ruffalo, the actor who plays the Hulk in Avengers: The Age of Ultron (2015), is also a progressive voice on social media.  But instead of focusing on Climate Change as is his wont, Ruffalo chose to be an avenger of supposed white privilege.

Ruffalo commended an article from a liberal website and urged White America to stop talking about Martin Luther King Jr. and the Baltimore 'Riots'.  It would seem from Ruffalo's punctuation that he doubts that there was rioting in the Charm City.  Oh, so the millions of dollars in damage from looting and burning was all a chimera, just like Ruffalo's green screen cinematic heroics. 

More likely, Ruffalo considers the unrest part of the Baltimore Uprising, a liberal justification for malfeasance because of years of governmental oppression.  Well, Democrats have consistently ruled Baltimore since 1967. The Obama Administration has been in power for nearly 6 1/2 years. So the so called Baltimore Uprising is against Democrats, Obama-- of course not, it's the Republican Congress' fault per President Obama.

What is intriguing is Ruffalo's advocacy for intellectual apartheid. Ruffalo cautions "White America" not to quote Martin Luther King, Jr. about Baltimore.  So truth is acceptable based upon the pigmentation of the person.  Isn't that what Martin Luther King fought against?  Progressives have come a long way from diversity to right think fascism.  This is like the "Check Your White Privilege" at the door, in which even allies are silenced because they do not fit the proper pigeonhole.

 Historically, one could argue that Dr. King became more radicalized later in his life opposing the Vietnam War and planning for the Poor Peoples' Campaign in 1968 before he was assassinated. This weltanschaaung would be eager to associate MLK with supporting the economically undertrodden like West Baltimore. 

However, much of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy was about character and self discipline.  MLK's niece, Dr. Alveda King, stresses how those who were participating in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s needed to be inculcated with discipline to be non-violent no matter what provocations and to stand together for what is right. That sort of emphasis on character contradicts the politically correct conclusion that rioters are rightfully acting up because of economic or policing provocations. 

 It seems that liberals are trying to rewrite Dr. King's legacy to be only acceptable for selective quotations by the "proper people".  It is bad enough that the Estate of Dr. Martin Luther King employs copyright lawfare to control MLK's image and profit from his words.  Now, progressives want to restrict quoting MLK based on skin color or inconvenient truths. 

As someone who appreciates aphorisms, I come across pearls of wisdom from figures who have a complicated legacy.  But it is a mistake to dismiss the thought simply because the person is not perfect.  Public figures with whom I may not readily align myself can offer instances of insight. Should we apply a racial test to discern if we can agree?

As a conservative, I have learned to detach my feelings about an entertainer's opinions from their performance. My modest proposal is that Ruffalo apply a similar philosophy between wisdom and the source citing it. 

The Avengers: The Age of Ultron opens on May 1st.  It would seem that Mr. Ruffalo does not care if he offends "White People" just before opening weekend. 

George Will on Liberal Tourette's Syndrome

Al Sharpton: "The Academy Awards Are Like the Rocky Mountains..."

In reaction to the 2015 Academy Awards nominations which did not include a black actor among the twenty top nominations, Al Sharpton pulled the race card.  

Sharpton made an acrimonious analogy of the "White" Rocky Mountains and promised to meet with a task for to discuss possible actions around Oscars awards time.

During the leaks surrounding Sony Pictures release of "The Interview", Sharpton seized on inconvenient emails in which film executives joked about pitching African American oriented films which President Barack Obama might like.  Sharpton's agitation about Sony Picture's snafu won him a place at the table in Hollywood as Racial Inclusion Czar.

Al Sharpton street Press Conference after Sony Pictures shakedown with Amy Pascal, 12/18/2014

 It seems that Sharpton has been bitten by the show business bug and can't stop trying to steal the lime-lights, even for the Academy Awards ceremony.

Normally, when self appointed racial justice leaders protest, they settle the problem by enriching themselves without "solving" the problem.  There is still time to implement a simple solution.  Now Al Sharpton could host the Academy Awards, with a special guest appearance by North Korean Dictator Kim Jon Un. 

The challenge would be having Al Sharpton read the teleprompter and to stop talking with the orchestral cues so the Oscars are not as long as an old time Fidel Castro speech.

Charlie Rangel on "Terms of Endearment"

Congressman Charlie Rangel (D-NY 13th) took to the airwaves after the Midterm Elections to malign the Tea Party.

    

 At least  Rep.  Rangel  did not label Tea Party types as terrorists this time. 

 But purporting that "White Cracker" is a term of endearment was as laughable as considering the 84 year old, 22 term incumbent from Harlem is a paragon of ethics. 

Nevertheless, the racialized rhetoric seems to fan the flames as Ferguson is ready to erupt if the Grand Jury does not do what the mob demands.  Moreover, Rangel's rant makes a mockery of President Barack Obama's call for civility in civics.  Furthermore, Rangel's provocative epithet neither reflects reality nor sounds constructive. 

Harlem has a history of sending charismatic yet slimey and cantankerous Congressmen to represent them.  Rangel replaced Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.  (D-NY 1st), who  was not seated by a Democrat led Congress in 1967 after it became clear that Powell bilked taxpayers for six years by having his wife on the Congressional payroll after she moved back to Puerto Rico.  Powell was re-elected in 1969 and he was seated after winning his case before the US Supreme Court. 

 Although Congress and the public may not  be able to exclude Rep. Rangel from his seat in Congress, they can deny him authority and attention.  Rangel took a leave of absence from being Chairman of the power the Ways and Means Committee during his Ethics investigation in 2010.  Rangel did not return to the top Democrat spot on the Ways and Means Committee after he became the 23rd Congressman ever censured.  

While Rangel might make good copy and his social charms makes him a good guest, we should discern if Rangel's raspy rhetoric should be amplified in the media or shunned as bilious blathering from a hoary has-been.  Otherwise, we are condoning a Congresscritter blithely spewing polarizing politics.

h/t: Dave Granland

Kobe Bryant's Prudence Protecting Body Armor

In a wide ranging interview with New Yorker magazine, Kobe Bryant was asked about the widespread displays of solidarity in reaction to the Trayvon Martin shooting in 2012.  In fact, the Miami Heat posed in hoodies in homage to the slain teen domicilled in Miami Gardens, Florida. 

 Bryant’s reticent reaction to the iconic Miami Heat hoodies pose is in sharp contrast to the politically correct groupthink amongst African American activists just weeks after the incident and even before George Zimmerman was charged.

Bryant’s insistence of thinking for himself and not jumping to conclusions based upon group identity shows prudence in the traditional sense.

Unfortunately, in this American Wonderland, such judicious and independent thinking is unacceptable for celebrities who seek to profit from popularity in these politically correct times. For instance, The Urban Times alleged:

Over the span of Kobe Bryant‘s career….we’ve seen him do and say some very smug, cavalier and even cornball things at times but the comments that he made regarding the Miami Heat‘s support after Trayvon Martin was killed…by far takes the cake! 

So unity must overcome all. The piece progressed to pummel Bryant for not appreciating how he appealed to racial solidarity when there was the Colorado rape allegation from “a less than African American female.”  

As the social media firestorm blazed, the career Laker seemed to walk back his diffidence. Bryant tweeted:

That assertion has tries to have it both ways in buttressing his not jumping to conclusions as well as asserting solidarity that the judicial system did not work. This retort may well have been  public relations prudence to protect Byrant's  multi-million investment in BodyArmor, an emerging sports drink.  While Bryant will not be used in Body Armor’s marketing campaigns, this Trayvon controversy could tarnish the brand among basketball enthusiasts, thereby risking Kobe, Inc’s at least 10 percent stake in Body Armor. 

Kobe Bryant and Body Armor product line.

h/t: The Urban Times
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