What's the Good News?

I haven’t had much time to write too much lately, but there have been a few things that caught my eye in the news.

Triple Bogey
This week professional golfer Tripp Isenhour showed us that all the shit between his ears found its way out of his mouth after he pleaded “no contest” (this is nice way of saying that you’re guilty without actually pleading “guilty”) to killing a hawk by striking it with a golf ball after the bird’s chirp interrupted Isenhour as he was making some kind of half-assed instructional video (as if people are going to watch this guy for advice on anything).

In a statement, Isenhour said that he was “mortified and extremely upset” over the incident, and that there was no “malice nor deliberate intent whatsoever to hit or harm the hawk.” That press release might have been more believable if it weren’t for the fact that Tripp made several attempts at hitting the bird.

Tripp’s next “instructional” video is rumored to be entitled How to Be a Huge Asshole. With Tripp in the lead role, I smell an Oscar.

That’s Racist!
In an effort to stay in the public eye, the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, chapter of the NAACP has declared that a “redneck festival” in the village of Weissport, Pennsylvania, is “racist” simply for having the word redneck in the name.

Chapter president Esther Lee said, “Redneck goes beyond someone who worked on the farm and has a red neck. The undertone is that people of color should stay away. There are so many other types of festivals that could sensibly be brought to a borough. They may want to wake up and realize that this is 2008.”

The irony is that the term “redneck” is as synonymous with “racism” as the term “NAACP” is with “legitimacy.” This once-great organization may have had a hand in changing the way that blacks were treated in the United States, but in 2008—since Ms. Lee mentions 2008—it has become nothing more than a parody of itself.

When anything and everything becomes “racist,” people tire of listening to the whining and pay little attention. Is this really going to benefit the NAACP’s cause?

The Good War
The “war on drugs” continues, this time in Mexico where 11 decapitated bodies were found outside the city of Merida. The “war” continues to create nothing but terror, violence, and profit for drug lords in both Mexico and the U.S. I’d write something here about the asinine “war” that we’re waging against drugs and how it does nothing but provides a wonderful source of income for gangs and criminals, but I’ve come realize that it’s getting more and more difficult to do so.

The folks who support the “war” on drugs have little ability to coherently debate the issue and would rather resort to accusing those of us who are against the “war” of wanting to see children on heroin and cocaine. For them, the innocents who are killed in drive-by shootings and other gang activity are nothing more than collateral damage in their noble “war” against drugs.

For law enforcement (including corrupt authorities) and the justice system, the “war” on drugs has become profitable and is nothing but job security.

Is the “war” really working? Absolutely not, but people like to feel as if they’re trying—and for some, intentions are more important than results.

Reference

Ayres, Chris. “Drug War Terror Spreads in Mexico as Bodies are Dumped in Tourist Areas.” Times Online. 30 Aug. 2008.

Kosciolek, Ashley. “Good Fun or Insensitive Racism?” The Morning Call. 30 Aug. 2008.

“Pro Golfer Makes Plea in Hawk Killing.” Local6.com. 29 Aug. 2008.

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