Essay 503

Acting cagey with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The Ohio couple accused of locking their 11 adoptive children in cages filed an appeal to regain custody of the kids (see Essay 488). The couple’s lawyer said, “Even if the court upholds the abuse finding, we are claiming that the grant of permanent custody (to Huron County) was improper and that the judge could have and should have considered a wider range of remedies other than stripping the Gravelles of all if their parental rights.” Yeah, the judge could have designated the Gravelles home as a petting zoo.

• General Motors Corp. held Black Tuesday after all, firing hundreds of white-collar executives. The automaker wouldn’t release specifics, but reports claim nearly 500 people were laid off. “It’s critical for GM to get through the reductions as quickly as possible. This has been a distraction to the employees since November,” one management expert said. “The longer this gets dragged out, the greater the chance there is that the most valued employees will walk out the door on their own and GM will have difficulties attracting new employees.” Oh, it seems like GM offers plenty of other incentives for prospective candidates to stay the hell away.

• A former diversity manager for Honda is suing after being fired for allegedly complaining about racial discrimination at the company. She had protested repeatedly over instances she deemed discriminatory, until the company fired her. Guess Honda believes in firing a diverse group of employees.

• Referring to the issues of immigration, President Bush recently remarked, “There are people doing jobs Americans will not do. … Many people who have come into our country are helping our economy grow. That’s just a fact of life.” Which is essentially what Mexican President Vicente Fox said months ago — although Bush avoided the unflattering references to Blacks.