Essay 822

Labor pains and assorted ailments in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• A U.S. Labor Department survey showed 40 percent of folks don’t think their boss pays the market value. Additionally, the average employee hasn’t seen a decent raise in three years. Conversely, the survey showed most employers believe they are paying competitively. Which just proves that typical bosses are clueless liars.

• The Chicago courthouse that will stage the upcoming R. Kelly child pornography trial is getting a makeover. New brass doors have been installed and carpeting is being renewed — and some folks believe it’s all part of an effort to make the place presentable for the inevitable media circus. “We’ve been stressing the need to have all of our facilities clean and comfortable for the members of the general public,” said the Cook County Chief Judge. “We’ve specifically been working with [the R. Kelly courthouse] because that facility was not being maintained as well.” Guess they’re hoping for photo ops to appear in an R. Kelly music video.

• Maryland rights groups are seeking to oust Comptroller William Donald Schaefer for his allegedly intolerant statements. Schaefer has managed to irk women, Latinos, Blacks and Asians over time. During a recent discussion on approving money for proficiency tests at public schools, Schaefer said, “Oh, we don’t worry about any of those things like money. Or illegals crossing the border. That’s nothing. That’s just a given. Oh, come on. Korea is another one. All of the sudden, they’re our friends, too, shooting missiles at us.” Schaefer also created controversies when complaining about a personal interaction with a Latino McDonald’s worker, and he even made inappropriate remarks to a female aide (see Essay 407). Now the rights groups are converging to deal with the comptroller. “We have the power, we have the capacity, to remove the policymakers who hate us,” said one group leader. “And let me tell you, we are going to do this.” Looks like Schaefer’s about to have political missiles fired in his direction.