Essay 110

The weekend in review with MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• Badges? We ain’t got no badges. We don’t need no badges. I don’t have to show you any stinking badges! Unless you’re a Puerto Rican family chilling out on the beach in Belmar, New Jersey. The Morales family is leading a lawsuit against the town after an ugly incident that occurred July 24. Family members and friends were enjoying a day at the beach — until a nasty policewoman allegedly harassed them. The cop demanded the Morales family present badges, which visitors must purchase to enter the beach. The Morales were unaware of the rule, but the cop prohibited them from even making amends. Instead, the family was fined $80 per person and ejected from the beach, with the cop proclaiming, “We don’t want your kind of people here.” So now the family is filing a $32 million discrimination lawsuit. Which should buy them plenty of new bathing suits — if not their very own beach.

• The recent Census tracking that revealed moving trends for Blacks and Hispanics probably didn’t include this tidbit: members of the notoriously violent MS-13 have migrated to West Virginia. The Latin American gang originally started in Los Angeles with El Salvadoran refugees, but they reportedly now boast over 10,000 members in 30 states. Following a string of murders in Washington, DC, authorities proceeded to crack down on MS-13 in that area, which probably inspired the move to West Virginia. Or perhaps it was the fresh mountain air.

• Rapper Common hawked Coca-Cola. Now he’s signed up to sell Hennessy cognac. Malt liquor can’t be far behind.

• A recent newspaper report showed tobacco giant Philip Morris is a defendant in 454 pending court cases. Plus, the corporation spent $933 million in legal fees from 2002 through 2004. Maybe cigarette packages shouldn’t simply carry a warning from the Surgeon General — there should also be a warning from the Attorney General.

• Rush Limbaugh now believes he can mediate the conflict between Philadelphia Eagles players Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens. The egotistical moron made the generous offer on his Web site. It should be noted that Limbaugh “resigned” from his ESPN gig two years ago after making politically-incorrect remarks about McNabb. Not sure how a racist drug addict like Limbaugh could help two professional athletes.

• PETA is in the doghouse for its campaign comparing animal abuse to slavery. The NAACP and others are definitely unhappy with the animal rights group’s latest messages. “We’re not continuing right now while we evaluate,” said PETA spokesperson Dawn Carr in response to the controversy. “We’re reviewing feedback we’ve received — most of it overwhelmingly positive and some of it quite negative.” Overwhelmingly positive? The group must be overwhelmingly hearing from Rush Limbaugh and the police force in Belmar, New Jersey.