The Knee-Jerk Stupidity of Profiling Prof. Gates

If it's true that Professor Henry Louis Gates of Harvard was already inside his home, having proven residency before the officer arrested him, then I think the officer WAS indeed stupid,
and yes, "profiling" (racism) seems to have occurred. This policeman's colleagues didn't distinguish themselves, either; they appeared to be shocked that they could ever be accused of less than stellar behavior. So here's a news flash for them and everybody else: everyone commits acts of stupidity before they die, a bitter, inevitable fact of life. The president was right to defend his friend; I would have recognized Prof. Gates, but then, I've seen him often on PBS.

Mr. Obama, don't bother setting up a future "kumbaya" meeting with this cop, you have far more important issues to attend to--the economy, health care, Afghanistan, foreign relations, etc. You really don't have the time, and shouldn't have the focus.....please move on. Let Prof. Gates, a very capable individual, handle this; he may choose to file for harassment, or take other action.

Meanwhile, the rest of us need you.

Mistaken Mix: Guns and Alcohol

Arizona's governor has just signed legislation permitting guns to be taken into his state's bars.
Has he taken leave of his senses? I bet Arizona police officers and bar owners are jumping
for joy over this one....aren't alcohol-fueled fist fights enough excitement? Just who sponsored
this legislation to begin with? Who gains? It will be interesting to see the reaction after the first
fatality by a gun-toting drunk in a bar. (Good luck!)

To make matters more absurd, the NRA pushed Congress to pass a bill allowing these conceal
and carry gun toters the freedom to travel to any other state with their weapons; the proposal
failed, thankfully, if narrowly. That means some of our representatives have also taken leave
of THEIR senses. Recently a woman dropped her gun in a public washroom stall and it discharged, shooting a woman in the thigh. Has no one on the pro-gun side realized just how many klutzes there are, how many accidental injuries and deaths will occur if everybody is allowed to carry at will?

Just what IS America's love affair with guns about, anyway? Behind it all I detect a massive
insecurity and fear, a keen desire to feel powerful....but carrying a gun doesn't really make someone powerful, just dangerous.

There are much better ways to improve self-esteem.