ebony and irony

oh, and Pete -- that sounds about right, from what i've read, and it reinforces my feeling that it's damn sick of him to say, oh, it's because i'm black, they're discriminating against me. weak. very weak.

its interesting to me that in a post talking about how MJ is making more news over a possibility of videotaped police brutality that the majority of the comments on the post are about...Jacko.

guess its proof positive that the media does know what the public is really clamoring for.

oh, and Pete? that sounds about right. the usual kind of conflicts, everything to do with contract law and standard recording industry practices (read: everything set for maximum screwage, for everyone), and he tries to tell us he's being discriminated against.

yes, Jason, i rather tripped on that part too. had to search several local news sites to find that. but MJ was all national front page stuff.

Jason... I think the majority of the posts here are about Mikey (Sorry, I just CAN'T call him MJ) simply because the other topic has already been talked to the point of repitition. How many times can we really say that it was a horrible, tragic thing? I'm not trying to trivialize it in any way... but that might explain (at least in part) why our favorite freak is getting more comment press.

You know, America is the only place where a poor black boy can grow up to be a rich white woman.

God bless Michael Jackson -- the epitome of the american dream. (I'd give credit here, but I forgot where I found that)

oh, Pete, i believe Jason was referring to how i ran into multiple copies of the Jackson story while searching for the mention of an investigation into police brutality against a black youth in Inglewood. mainstream press, i believe he meant.

and, i just watched the video. it was horrifying. sure, the kid might have caught a cop or two by surprise at first, but he was just a skinny little kid -- at the start of the tape, he had a pile of huge cops on him. he was subdued, already. they picked him up, then they *slammed* his head against the cop car. slammed. you could feel it, just looking at it. then this HUGE muscular cop started punching him in the head. over and over. (and isn't it convenient that the cameras are on the front of the cop car?)

i wanted to puke and cry all at once.

First of all I need to say that Michael Jackson seems to be a cartoon character of himself. Particularly when he does stuff like holding up a sign with a picture of him above the word "good" etc...

HOWEVER...

a) I find the phrase "The race card" to be highly offensive and racist. It implies to me that people of color walk around waiting to cry racism at a moment's notice for no reason other than to gain an "upper hand" of some sort. I know you didn't choose the phrase, kd, but I thought I'd throw this in... here is an interesting article on the phrase. I'm sure there are many more.

b) I also believe very strongly that it's extremely...um...not a good idea for white people to say whether something is not racist. In my opinion, it's not possible for a white person to experience racism, so we have no way of determining if an industry is or is not racist. I'm sure if anyone wanted to do a miniscule amount of research on the music industry, they would find racism fairly easily.

Right now I don't have time to comment more because someone is knocking on the door.

i'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's highly, highly, highly unlikely record co. execs ever even thought, oh, MJ is a black man, let's take advantage of him. MJ is a mega-corporation, is what he is.

and i'm going to go even further out on the limb and say that the recording industry takes advantage of aspiring musicians pretty much across the board. for instance, Greenday -- that album Dookie? do you know what they got paid for that? fifteen grand. total. and they're white.

it's possible if you look deeper at the socioeconomic situations of artists *before* they get famous (afterward, it's all corporate posturing, and you can't tell me they assign racial characteristics to a corporation), perhaps minorities have a harder time finding legal counsel or adequate representation. again, i doubt there is much difference, the entertainment industry is has a very different ethnic census than most other industries.

and i'll stand by my opinion that Michael Jackson's race isn't really an issue in this particular instance, and furthermore just because i'm white doesn't preclude me voicing this opinion. i am looking at this from a rather jaded, bitter, and very un-PC viewpoint. i stand by that too.

KD, you read my mind. When I saw this hit the newswire, the exact same thoughts ran through my head. I almost posted on this yesterday, then thought I'd leave it to you. ;)

Seriously: nice post. Now, I need to go and do something ... anything to get the monstrous image of his face out of my head.

With all due respect, I'm going to have to disagree with virtually all of Dru's comment. ;) The rebuttal is more a topic for my own blog than this comment section, but I'll be brief...

1. To me someone "playing the race card" is nothing more than someone using their race to their advantage when it isn't necessary. Crying wolf, as it were. I don't think the phrase inherently implies anything about minorities at all, and I certainly never take it that way. There's a distinct difference between a legitimate discrimination complaint and "playing the race card"

2. White people can be discriminated against. White people can be the victims of racism. Period. Though there are many who would argue, it's just doesn't make sense that prejudice would apply to one group and not another. Racism is little more than an excercised prejudice based on race. Any race. If a black man says "White people are racist" that is a racist opinion and statement. It's sad that there's a segment of our population bound and determined to prove to everyone that the middle-class white male cannot be a victim, it's simply absurd.

Damn. I said I was going to be breif. Sorry!

Regarding MJ, from the first time I heard about his supposed Vitiligo, I did not beleive it. The way I see it, he bleached himself, and medically, there are drugs that can achieve this. He unfortunately, did not have a normal childhood as he was a superstar from then. However, I don't find this a suitable excuse for his freakish behaviour as an adult. He should simply try to give God thanks for his talents and put them to good use. Alas, he has found himself in a situation where he has lost his ethnicity (is that the politically correct term nowadays?) and apparently he is now undergoing financial pressure? My word, what else is he going to come up with next?
Regards the teenager and the brutal police, I'll go no further as we have more than our fair share of it here in Jamaica.

in defense of Drublood's opinion, she is a woman who holds herself to very strict standards, and this is her very passionately held belief.

and if i had this to write over again, i think i'd put less emphasis on the physical aspect and more on the corporation aspect. the truth is, i'm sure michael's staff of lawyers, accountants, and business managers are quite capable of negotiating a business deal. to protest the handling of the contract on a racist basis, seems spurious to me, and indicative of the fact that his contract had clauses built into it that gave the record company recourse, if it came to pass that michael's image (which is not a black man's image) is generally considered freakish, and if that contributed to the venture's failure. his freakishness has hurt his career in ways being black couldn't have done.

also i would think that if i were a black person, i'd be at least a little bothered by the way michael (who was a very attractive and successful young man) turned himself into a caricature of caucasian features, which seems to me would be ... a bit insulting.

Cops who beat up on people in handcuffs should be required to go a few rounds with the champion of the victim's choice...no cuffs, no gloves, no mouthguards, no quarter to be given. I'd choose EarMunchin'Mike.
As for t'other Michael...hmmm. I've long held the theory that he is not truly a Jackson *brother* at all, but rather the secret daughter of Diana Ross & Tito (or was it Diana & LaToya...hmmm) Certainly would explain the high voice and pathetic desire to emulate...mommy issues y'know?
The Capt.
enjoyingtheread

Drublood, white people get discriminated against all the time, just send hit to any majority black neighbourhood, city, or country. We (non-white people) do have the ability to be racist. To say otherwise is to be making a racist statement! :-) Think about it!

My definition of racism, and one that is used by most anti-racist organizations and movements is as follows:

Power+prejudice=racism.

It is by this definition that I believe that people of color in this country cannot be racist. People of color in this country do not hold the institutional power to enforce racism. Sure, there is prejudice...but there is no way to enforce that prejudice institutionally. I strongly believe that white people can and do enforce racism as an institution.

KD - I think I agree more with your last comment than with the blog entry, and I appreciate your defense of my opinions (you are so rad). I do think that Michael Jackson is more out for publicity than anything else. I also don't think any human being has the right to make as much money as just about any pop musician does. Period. End of story. So I have a hard time "defending" people who are wealthy beyond reason.

Jackson is just sour because he sucks, looks like a monster and everyone knows it. With his kind of money, I wouldn't be complaining. He should just lock himself in his "Neverland Ranch" or whatever, and live out his years in koo-koo village.

The other story, however, is repulsive and frightening. I could not imagine if that were my child. Fucking pigs. I never really will trust cops. I've had too many baaad run ins with them. Bad stories.

I think MJ totally believes what he's saying. I think its impossible for anyone who makes millions of dollars to be taken seriously when discussing how he has been slighted (its like Barry Bonds trying to explain why he would strike against his employer...uhhh, you make 6 million a year, if my union wants me to strike on that...call me a scab.) but I think he believes it. I think it speaks volumes though that Al Sharpton stepped away from it. If an ambulance chaser won't take your case, you're on shaky ground.

I'm feeling more positive about the other topic. Over the course of the day, it became a more prominent story and got national attention. Although I haven't heard much outrage. Its a sad state of affairs when police brutality is just assumed and not shocking. And I think the cops/cop show entertainment has conditioned us a bit to question whether or not the assault is 'deserved.'

But, On COPS, the po po always ends there aggression when they get the cuffs on. Unless you're kicking like a moron, there's not much you can do to an officer once the metal bracelets are on. So a punch to the mouth of a juvenile seems a little out of place. Right? right!

you know, he may be running out of money -- the article implies he's getting all huffy with the record execs, which could mean he spent all his cash on monkeys and skeletons and paying off kid's moms, and he's out to collect on some imaginary money owed him. either way, turning this into a crusade with al sharpton and johnny cochran ranting about discrimination. puh-leeze. michael jackson had a great career and made bazillions of dollars, and he screwed it up himself, by being a freak. don't see how race fits into that story at all. just don't.

and the other story, well, it's sick, sad, and all too common. thank goodness for bystanders with video cameras. and that poor kid - he was just a skinny little sixteen year old boy - did you see the size of those cops? eek.

(a la Jacko: HEEhee!) oh kd, you bad....

I use to be a fan of MJ. I accepted his bizarre behavior because who wouldn't be a little different growing up famous like that. I just couldn't get past the child molesting, though. Now he just seems like a pathetic creep.

I didn't see the video tape of the teens arrest yet, so I don't have an opinion on what it shows, but I have seen plenty of examples of racial profiling. I know that I get treated differently than minorities do. I'm not sure why people feel so threatened by someone that looks different. I think miniature video cameras on police uniforms to record each arrest might help.

Oh. My. Goodness:

You know, America is the only place where a poor black boy can grow up to be a rich white woman. - Pete

I just woke up my husband from laughing so frigging loud.

oy -- that brings up a point, wKen. police cars have the cameras on the front. they tossed him on the *trunk* (chris saw this, not me, but he described it in rather vivid detail). it's true he might have 'resisted' (which you can do, without being under arrest, strangely enough), but tossing him on the trunk of a police cruiser? so wrong.

i think you can watch the video from that news site.

and yes, i was a MJ fan back when. he was a musical pioneer and a talented individual. *sigh* he just went way, way, way off the deepend.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO happy I wasn't the only one who saw this headline and went "what the fuck color are you Michael?"

Is he that craving of publicity that he had to do this?

kd...i've been searching your site for an email addy and can't find one anywhere. We have business to take care of, yes? Argh! I really need to talk to you. I have no email addy right now. I can't really post the one where I'm at now. What to do....what to do....

As the radio was waking me up this morning I caught the tidbit that before he started making his last record the record company got him to sign away his rights to some of the random crap that he owns the rights to as collateral for the record. Now I guess the record isn't getting done, or it's done and it's flopped, and he wants his rights to the music back.

At least, that was my perception when I was half asleep.

ahh, the email isn't on here 'cause i fear the spambots. i've commented over at your place, hopefully, that will give you the addy? one hopes. if not go to surreally.com, it's public over there (much to my chagrin). i'm going to spam-protect that one any day now.

"White people can�t experience racism." Yeah, right. ;P
http://www.nbc4.tv/news/1407964/detail.html

Assuming that the police who smacked that guy around were racist is pure speculation. The news doesn�t even know what happened so why does everyone assume the cops are the bad guys? That video didn�t catch the entire incident. Did you see the gash on the officer�s head? You try to fight a cop and you�ll get your ass kicked � that�s common sense. It probably didn�t get much news coverage because the guy resisted arrest and attacked an officer.

i didn't say that the beating was racist -- in fact later in the comments i clarified that it is a racial issue, in that there will be riots if there are not consequences for the police. "common sense" and "acceptable behavior" in this case are very different things. we may agree that it follows, you hit a cop you're going to get an asskicking, but the cop is not supposed to give in to his urges for revenge, right there on the spot. once the suspect is handcuffed, there's no need to punch them in the head. and if the cop gets away with it, the riots will be ever so racial.

it was an abuse of power by a large white man against a small black boy. it can't not be about race, somewhere in there, because public perceptions (and reactions) will not separate the combatants from their roles.

and did you notice that the jury who made the reverse discrimination award was 11/12 white? and that the lone black juror did not vote with the majority? one black juror? in a jury trial about racist practices on the Inglewood police force? what? huh?

see update

Sorry KD, I meant it as a reaction to some of the other comments. I see what you mean by public reaction turning it into a racial issue. It looked a bit rough but my point is, no one saw what happened the five minutes before the video was taken. That 5 min. may make all the difference.

11/12 white? You are insinuating that 11 of the jurors must have been racist, or ignorant (going along with drublood�s idea of white people not knowing what is racist) that�s why they voted the way they did. I think it would be more likely to be the other way around.

whoever was the racist, i certainly would have liked to see a more balanced jury, racially. i don't think any of us are truly objective, so we try to balance things out, hoping between 12 people some semblance of objectivity will emerge.

Whatever the case I think we can all agree that MJ really needs to sit down with some therapy if he's suddenly going to claim that he's experienced racism as a black man. Yes, he can blame the vitiligo for ths skin - though I know someone with that and his skin never turned a solid color - but hey, maybe Mickey uses makeup all over - whatever. Look what he's done to his face. He had a lovely face, a lovely nose. And look what he's done - morphed into - like Pete said - a white woman. It's like he went out of his way to remove all of his blackness.
*sigh*
It's this kinda thing that makes you want to scream - there are enough legitimate cases of racism out there and MJ is going to put on his show to get his media spotlight - like kd said, and the police beating case isn't as big a deal. And the only reason the police beating case IS getting any attention? Someone got videotape. It could have gone down and no one documented it - and it would have only been the kid's word for. THAT would be a bigger crime. That cop is so fired. The city won't dare to *not* fire him if they're smart.

oh, i know. i'm so glad there was video, i'd hate to think of that violent, out of control cop continuing to beat small handcuffed suspects.

i mean, you saw the way the other cops were trying to pull him off, as they're probably used to doing, but no way would anyone break the 'blue line' to report his behavior.

so very glad it got caught on tape.

"I strongly believe that white people can and do enforce racism as an institution."

Oh and Dru - I understand what you're saying, but I think you should understand that statements like that make it hard for anyone to come to the table and try to change things. Because I have to believe, by that statement, that you're talking about me and every other white person, lumping us into one group. (I hope it's just the wording of that statement and not a blief - but it is a belief I know many people hold, so I think it's ok to babble on with this thread.) I don't condone racism, though I see it around me - I live in the south. And I like to think I'm doing my part in my community to stop that, though it's often hard to find ways to do so. But I'd sure hate someone to look at me and assume that because I'm white I'm part of the good ol boy system of racism - especially my black students. But I can't change my whiteness.

Not to start anyone off. I don't think anyone can claim that racism against whites has been near as prevalent or destructive as racism against blacks - history is pretty clear on that. But there's also racism against american indians, asians and latinos - buy both whites and blacks. And then there's racism of some latino groups against others - hispanics vs. Mexicans vs Mexican Indians vs Spanish for instance - but that's a whole other subject. And let's not forget the world's racism for centuries towards the Jews. There's no corner on the market for the injustices of prejudice.

Power+prejudice=racism. Sorry. Doesn't fly. If I choose to embrace racist ideas as my own it doesn't matter one whit if I'm the president of Mo-town or a po' wee white wimmins lawn jockey wacking weeds in the southern parts o' MD. The level of power possessed has naught to do with the existence of racism.
Isn't it racist for a black family to be disappointed in a son's babydaughter because she was born of a white woman and "looks" white? Isn't it racist for my own mother to hold tight to the belief she was raised with, that black people got no business "mixing" with white people...that (ohmygod!) if this keeps up the whole world is gonna end up a light brown soon?!
Is it racist for me to believe that black men and women are, generally speaking, often better athletes than white folk? Or is that just Realism?
How about this formula...
Fear + Hate = Prejudice Of All Shapes, Sizes and Colors
The Capt.
pastywhite...notthattheresanythingwrongwiththat

yes, batgrl. As uncomfortable as it makes you feel, I do believe that you are racist. That I am racist. That any white person is racist BECAUSE the system is racist and white people all, whether they want to or not, enjoy the privileges of a racist system. I completely understand that this pisses people off right and left and makes them want to curse me and shut me the fuck up...but I also know that this is the honest (strong) belief of myself and many other people who wish to counteract racism. In my understanding, the opposite of racist is not "un"racist..it's anti-racist.

That's not to say that I think you are out there commiting heinous hate crimes. I sure am not. But I think it's crucial to understand white privilege if racism is to be combatted. As a white person, it's very easy to ignore racism and pretend I'm "color blind." That is white privilege. It's a privilege that most, if not all, people of color do not enjoy. So, yeah, racist is a harsh word...but it's also a harsh reality that I'm talking about.

And I don't believe that there is such a thing as racism against whites. At all. Keep in mind that the term "people of color" includes all of the oppressed/marginalized peoples you mentioned. "Black" isn't the only race against which racism is enacted, to be sure.

Anyway...just clarifying what I think on this issue. If you want more information, a good place to start is white privilege dot com but there are other organizations out there that address issues of anti-racism, if you are interested in finding out more. Feel free to e-mail me. I am more than happy to discuss this with anyone who wishes to talk about it further.

Ok, this sounds rude - you're white? This confuses me. But only because the last time I had a white person lecture me on the black experience I was in school up east at a mostly white college. Not that you did that in your comments - just flashing back. But moving on...

I feel that if my attitude was to be "I am white therefore I am racist" is very defeatist. I'm not gonna take it to that limit. I will say that the system is racist in many ways. I will say that there are some ways I can't understand racism because I am white, just like there are some ways men can't get feminism. I will say I am influenced by a culture that I grew up in that is predominantly white - but not that I am mindlessly controlled by it. I doubt and I question. But all humans have a perspective that's shaped by their cultural background - and their age, their economic background, etc. We all of us can only speek from our backgrounds and our experience - we all have our individual biases from that.

I'm actually quite familiar with this saying however, heard a lot of it as an undergrad. Right now I live in Louisiana, before that Alabama. I've seen a lot of racism that differs very greatly from the examples I also saw in Massachusetts and Texas. I'm not saying I'm color blind. But perhaps where you live saying that "I'm racist" means something else. Down here it does indeed mean that you're flying the stars and bars and making all sorts of negative jokes. I've seen a burned cross. Believe me, I understand harsh reality. Perhaps it's just the wording that bothers me so. But I'd prefer to say that I'm actively struggling against any stereotypes that white culture tries to impose on me. And I see my generation and the next as working to move past the current ones in this area.

Anyway, I haven't checked your link - the gist reminds me of some of the feminism and ethnicity philosophies I had in classes in undergrad of the more radical kind. I did the reading then - I'm sure I have the general idea. I really can't relate or find useful any of the discussions I had in those classes with what I deal with day to day. Nothing wrong with radicalism, but I have to live in this world. I teach at a university where a large proportion of our students are not only African American but of other ethnicities. I lecture on some subjects of race and the media. And I work very hard on issues of inclusiveness and prejudice as part of my job. I always understand my own biases, and the differences between personal opinion and facts that I teach. But racist? No, I think I use another form of wording. I understand how you come by yours, and respectfully disagree. I think it raises too many hackles to make such a sweeping statement, even if the reality is harsh.

If you turn too many people off with one sentence - "you are white therefore you are racist and there is nothing more to be said, no arguments" - there is no room for education or change - not with the finality of sentence like that. I'm not going to be branded with that word and all the ugliness that goes with it - no matter what my culture does, no matter what my ancestors did. I have shame for the past and shame for the racism of the present, but I shall fight that taint.

I'll take the words biased and prejudiced - words which we all can share and words that wound less, that make it less of a fault and more of a human failing - yet with the hope of continuing my own efforts to see outside of my own ethnicity, age, race, and economic level. And interact with my students of all backgrounds in a fair and unbiased manner. See, I'm working on being blind to more than color. That's part of my job - all are equal who strive to learn. I just grade on the striving part.

Oh lord, and if kd had a preview button I'd have fixed the grammar there, and edited that misspelled word there...
*sigh*
Yeah, sometimes I wonder how they let me in to teach too...

*sigh* And instead of race in the 4th line from the last I meant gender. Because obviously I have to deal with gender bias as well. I really shouldn't comment after 5pm huh...

I'd just note that prejudice and racism are two different things.

I'm not bothered much by prejudice...you have the right to think what you think and feel what you feel. Just as I do, no matter how stupid and short sighted and cruel and lame it is.

But, if your prejudice mixes with some ability to prevent me or someone else from succeeding or pursuing my inalienable rights...well, then we have a problem and I might be coming to burn your house down.

so...racism might be the case in the police video (because really, when it comes down to it, who has more power than a police officer?)

but not in the mj situation...mostly because he's being a dork.

My point is that Racism can and does exist without any overt, tangible power to use it against, or harm, another. By it's very existence Racism causes Harm to Everyone, including the racist. We know Prejudices of all kinds can cause Harms of all kinds. In my world that's a good enough reason to heed warning bells and whistles, the red flags and screeching brakes, that accompanies any socially negative act or statement that is prejudicial in nature. We can only Live & Let Live as a society if Everyone in that society agrees to it. Since that isn't the case, we remain ever watchful...
The Capt.

If you only knew how very anti-academia I am, you would probably be able to very clearly visualize the look on my face when I read your assessment of my belief system as being straight out of academia.

So, no. I am not spouting rhetoric. I'm spouting my own philosophy that I have built out of my experience as a white woman in a racist society.

I think denial of white privilege (and it is clear to me that you don't deny white privilege) is more dangerous than cross burning. I think the refusal to admit that our society is racist, and the tendency to say something to the effect of "but we've come a long way..." is denying the reality that we live in a system of exclusion and hostility for people of color. The reason I insist on using the term racist rather than biased or prejudiced is because my "bias" or "prejudice" contributes to the overall hostility of the racist system.

It probably seems like I'm arguing semantics to you. But it's more than words to me. I guess that's why it's my philosophy.

I doubt anyone is reading this anymore, but I'm wondering why no one (or maybe only one person) commented on the use of the term "race card"...that to me seems to be a no brainer racist statement, and it's odd to me that it has completely slipped under the radar.

actually you did comment on that, your first comment, and you did stipulate that the weren't my words -- taken straight out of the headline. i tend to do that.

and, ok, i think what we have here is some extremism. anytime something is taken to the all/nothing generalization stage, i have to interject -- all generalizations are false. all white people, racist? how about, all people? everyone is everythingist. everyone has some things that cause them to pre-judge others. in general, appearance is the first impression.

this is why most of my social life is on the internet anyway. there are any number of people who i knew and associated for months before learning what color they were. did it occur to me to say, what are you? no.

therefore to paint me with the same racist brush as the prevailing society, kinda bothers me. look -- i'm a woman. i'm not very educated, though i've made a half decent career for myself. well i have a nice job title but i am *poor*. and i am 41 and i am fat, and i am sure i suffer plenty of sexist, ageist -- whatever.

we all have things about us to be judged by. and don't tell me that there aren't people of other races that see me and think, oh, a white woman.

i don't know where i'm going with this. just to say that extremism, in which blanket generalizations are spread like that, is flawed logic.

i seriously look forward to the day we're all kind of exotic looking honey brown people and we get over this. it's theoretically possible. i choose to believe it can happen.

oh, incidentally -- where i live, i'm very close to minority. the balance is coming closer and closer to tipping the scales to majority hispanic. and not only am i white, i'm barely recovered white trash. two and a half years ago i lived in the salvation army 'cause --- ooh, i'm stopping on that self revelation. suffice to say if you knew my past, you might not be so quick to call me a racist, implying that i judge people. i am in no position. sure, i may have parroted some phrases. these things happen. it's ... whatever.

i guess i have enough experience being on the shit side of things. classing me with the 'white privilege' bothers me.

*giggle* Too late - already imagined the look on your face!
I went to a college that rather prided itself on being anti-establishment. And while it may be your philosophy, it's actually one that's much discussed and debated in cultural studies and sociology.
(I can understand being anti-academia - just remember, not all of us are evil in here.)

I understand you thinking it's just semantics.
But calling someone a racist - where I'm from anyway - is pretty much a slap in the face. Especially to those of us who struggle NOT to be like so many of the bad examples around us.
So, if you want to shut people up rather than communicate with them about what racism is and try and change people's perspective - or at least let them see other's point of view - well, go ahead and call it racism. Same thing is happening to the word feminism - it's becoming a word with so many negative connotations that people hesitate to call themselves feminisits, and when they do feel they have to define what they mean by the word.

I think the term "race card" became really popular during OJ and has more and more come to simply mean "making race the issue when that isn't always what's at stake" - which in terms of MJ, is probably true - I think he was more motivated by his finances than any higher cause. But that's just me being cynical.

And completely off topic -
I also read somewhere that after the last surgery on MJ's nose it literally fell off - but I've never been able to find out if that's true. I did find out that some plastic surgery horror stories are true - there are cases where people's noses did fall off after surgery. A helpful tip - don't look up stuff like this on Google and then try and get any sleep. Scary scary photos out there.

note: you can subscribe to posts to keep up on things like this

ok, yeah, and re: race card. as an OJ trial junkie that was unemployed at the time and watched that puppy start to finish, yes, that phrase was drilled into my synapses.

and thanks batgrl, in this case it kinda does fit. just as OJ wasn't being persecuted for his color (he killed two people, is the reason they were after him), MJ isn't being persecuted for whatever his color is now.

i wouldn't have used that phrase if there was even a chance in my mind that MJs race was a factor in his contract disputes. he's a corporation. looking for spin in the media. desperate, probably. but still, a corporation, a holding company.

And someone really needs to help me find out about that nose story.

i was a little disturbed by the tone of the news video i watched, about the investigation. i think they were a bit dismissive of the brutality, and saying things like, if the boy did this or that the cops were allowed -- i may have to watch it again, because it's hard to believe what i heard.

he was a small boy. that cop's arms were bigger than the kid's whole head! why would a monster-size cop need to use that kind of force on a skinny kid?

oh -- and on cops, there are always cameras. if you're a cop wanting to take out a little aggression on a kid, you know the cameras are on the front, so, you beat the suspect on the trunk. cop would have behaved way, way differently if he'd known he was on candid camera.

this is why i'm so glad i don't have much traffic--and fewer comments. you people are tiring me out.

In my opinion, it's not possible for a white person to experience racism

Uhmmm... a white kid growing up in a largely black and hispanic neighborhood can enjoy the full experience of being treated differently, hated, beaten, and wanting to be killed beacuse of the colour of his skin for most of his life.

You'll have to take my word on that one, Dru.

I feel like I'm in an episode of The Real World.

Kevin: You're a racist.
Becky: racist?!
Kevin: You are.
Becky: How am I a racist, Kevin?
Kevin: Race plus power equals racism. Think about it.
Becky: What power do I have, Kevin?
Kevin: If you and I go in for a job, whose going to get it?
Becky: I don't know.
Kevin: You are.
Becky: You don't know that.
Kevin: Right.

oh, exactly! heh. i knew it had kind of a familiar feel to it.

i'm struggling with the temptation to continue this discussion. Jason just pinged this post with his own about his concerns for his sister, who asks 'are they rich? and what race are they?' of everyone. and Dru has posted about a half dozen or so heated posts in which she expounds on the theory that all white people, including herself, are racists.

then again, i may just keep posting about sandwiches and goats and online tests. i don't know. i've been thinking about kittens lately too.

Gasp! Kiitens!
For true?

My parents quiz me about everyone I meet - "what do they do for a living? what do their parents do? where are they from?" - and it freaks them out that I do not ask these questions, but may have known the person for months or years - I'm just not focused on everyone's jobs as an extention on their personality. In fact my mother was the one who noted that she only saw 2 white people in the apt complex I lived in in Alabama when she first visited - but honest to god, I hadn't noticed. And no, it's not that I'm this great color blind person - I just hadn't noticed. I also tend not to notice that I sometimes wear socks that don't match (the color was right, but they weren't mates, and yes, I have friends that notice this stuff).

I have no idea what this means. Just babblin.

yes. i want a kitten. i could try and catch one of the feral babies living under the nuns house next door, or, i could go to a kitten rescue place.

see, i sort of inherited my cat, and he doesn't really like me that much. he likes chris, but then they seem to relate as man-animals.

i want a little girl-kitten. one that will like me. that may be unrealistic, but, it's what i want.