Essay 272

Nighttime is the right time for MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• Ford Motor Company may ultimately lead GM in one category — employee layoffs. Analysts predict Ford will shut down 10 plants and eliminate 30,000 jobs. GM planned similar numbers; however, GM is a larger company. One expert said, “Ford and GM are now in a race to shrink.” Or maybe disappear.

• Thanks to the 140-year-old 14th Amendment, any child born in the U.S. — even the offspring of illegal immigrants — automatically receives American citizenship. Now Congressional conservatives want to change things, which is sure to piss off Latino voters. But it’s also another indicator of the growing issues surrounding illegal immigration. You know it’s bad when legislators seek to revise the Constitution.

• There’s a California campaign supporting the execution of Stanley Tookie Williams. However, the effort is the brainchild of a pair of radio shock jocks hosting “The John and Ken Show” on KFI-AM. The Los Angeles Times wrote, “Their broadcasts have drawn outrage from those who perceive whispers of racism coursing through radio dialogues that have included one of the hosts reading Williams’ co-written ‘Gangs and Drugs’ book in an affected street accent, mocking the speech of some of Williams’ African American defenders.” Regardless of your personal stance on the issue, one thing is clear: John and Ken need to be eliminated from the public airwaves.

• NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal is now an official reserve officer for the Miami Beach police department. Wonder if Philip Michael Thomas is still available to be Shaq’s sidekick.

• The case involving the Ohio couple whose foster children slept in cages continues to be bizarre. A social worker testified in support of the couple, saying the cages actually protected the children — because some exhibited destructive behavior. Sounds like the social worker needs to be placed in a cage too.

• The Farrelly brothers are working on a new movie — and the source of the laughs will be Special Olympians. However, the filmmakers have the support of the Special Olympics. “The risk was that it would further the stereotypes of people with intellectual disabilities as the brunt of jokes rather than the teller of jokes,” said a Special Olympics executive. “But the payoff was even more valuable.” Jeez, is this guy retarded or something?

• Police in Toledo braced for possible problems with a scheduled neo-Nazi rally and opposing protests. An October gathering sparked a riot by counter-protestors. The neo-Nazis had planned the original gathering to speak against gangs and rising crime. Wait a minute. Aren’t the neo-Nazis essentially a gang whose activities are often criminal — if not simply offensive?

• Verizon Wireless won two legal cases versus telemarketers making unwanted calls to its customers. As if Verizon Wireless isn’t equally guilty of ringing people to hype their shitty services.

• Richard Pryor — actor, comedian and American icon — died on Saturday at age 65. And there’s nothing funny about that.