Essay 205

Out and about with MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• Mr. Sulu of Star Trek fame transported out of the closet. Actor George Takei has spoken out on his homosexuality, even comparing anti-gay bias to racial segregation. Damn, can’t he just compare it to Romulan segregation?

• Basketball superstar Sheryl Swoopes jumped out of the closet too. Wow. There are lesbians in the WNBA. Never would have guessed.

• Due to public protests, Paramount Pictures will remove some of the billboards hyping the upcoming 50 Cent movie, “Get Rich or Die Tryin.’” In the end, protesters will die tryin’ to prevent movie moguls and 50 Cent from getting rich.

• Political advertising continues to push the boundaries of good taste. A Detroit newspaper ad supporting Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s re-election bid shows black corpses hanging from trees — in reference to Kilpatrick’s contention that he’s been “lynched” in the media. “I have not got one call from a subscriber or a reader who complained about that ad,” insisted the co-publisher of the newspaper. “Not one letter or e-mail.” Guess no complaints justify obscenity.

• Descendants of slave owners in Barbados marched with chains on their wrists and wooden yokes around their necks as part of a symbolic plea for forgiveness. “For 200 years...British descendants committed unspeakable crimes against people of African descent,” a marcher said. “We are in a small way apologizing.” Guess symbolic gestures justify obscenity.