Essay 392

Thank God it’s a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Busta Rhymes may not be a buster after all (see Essay 390). Despite initial sharp words from relatives of the victim of the recent shooting, the rapper attended the wake, prayed over the slain associate’s body and vowed to take care of the grieving family. Then Rhymes continued to ignore police requests for a statement.

• Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele apologized for comparing cell stem research to Nazi medical tests performed on Jews in World War II. It’s bad enough that Steele made the comparison; but it’s even more messed up that he said it to a Baltimore Jewish group. A political science professor at Johns Hopkins University called Steele’s statement “probably not the best move.” Brilliant conclusion, professor.

• Spike Lee addressed students at the University of Mississippi and criticized the state flag. “You’ve gotta do something about that flag,” Lee said. “I know people say it’s representative of history. Well, so’s the swastika.” Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele could not be reached to elaborate.

• A six-year-old in Massachusetts was suspended from school for sexual harassment. The kid allegedly put two fingers in a female classmate’s waistband. However, he claimed he did it because she touched him first. So maybe the little girl should be charged as a sexual predator. Ironically, most adults accused of sexual harassment will insist they’re just being immature and childish.

• As if Hurricane Katrina wasn’t political enough already. Now an advocacy group has filed a lawsuit charging that upcoming New Orleans elections will hurt Black candidates. The group argues that displaced Black voters will have tremendous challenges casting ballots. Even the NAACP is weighing in on the issue. Politics in The Chocolate City may soon turn vanilla.

• An ex-ad salesman for the Philadelphia Eagles saw the courts overturn his six-figure award. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission originally awarded the man $600,000 after employers distributed a book to salespeople in 2001 that instructed Black salesmen to “dress very White.” The commission deemed it a blatant case of stereotyping and bias. But the Commonwealth Court disagreed and stated, “While there is no question that the distribution of the book at issue here was unprofessional, insulting and insensitive, it was not severe and pervasive.” Hey, is it proper to dress very White after Labor Day?