Essay Thirty

What the world needs now is love, sweet love — particularly considering the following hate-filled MultiCultClassics Minutes:

• Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois shuttled dozens of Black and Hispanic students to a hotel as a safety precaution after three folks received nasty, racist letters. Rumors claim the threatening notes targeted students in interracial relationships. Let’s scratch this school off the list of potential locales for Snoop Dogg’s next “Girls Gone Wild” video.

• The video of Florida police officers handcuffing a feisty 5-year-old may be the greatest example of excessive force since the Rodney King beating.

• Michael A. Smith, a Vietnam War veteran, spit into Jane Fonda’s face during a book-signing event in Kansas City. Smith deemed his actions a “debt of honor. She spit in our faces for 37 years. There are a lot of veterans who would love to do what I did.” That’s a long time for hate to fester — most folks only identify Fonda as the old lady who produced aerobics videos.

• Bates Advertising was found guilty of firing EVP Kathryn Jordan based on her disability. The agency must now pay Jordan $2.5 million. This proves Blacks, Hispanics and other minorities aren’t the only ones facing discrimination in the advertising industry.

• Anna Ayala, the alleged victim of the Wendy’s Chili Con Finger incident, is now being fingered as the actual culprit. And the search continues for the owner of the detached digit. Hate to say it, but a body part in chili is still less disgusting than the questionable ingredients of a typical McGriddles.