Why haven't we cowards accepted Attorney General Eric Holder's invitation to racial dialogue?
The outcry over Rush Limbaugh's attempt to purchase an NFL franchise is exhibit A. Entitled groups own the conversation and make the rules, often on the fly. Those authorized to freely dialog on race form an exclusive club.
The rest of us can only come in through the back door, and then we must sit quietly while we are admonished and clucked over by the aggrieved and the anointed. We must choose our words, nay, even our targets carefully lest we be branded with the scarlet R.
Too often, the dialog becomes a lecture, and ordinary Americans of all stripes don't like being shouted at through bullhorns. I know many black people as well who have refused to join the dialog because they are worn out by the implied tokenism.
Many also tire of getting cornered into defending the Jacksons and Sharptons, or worse, repudiating them when they may actually agree with their larger point while simultaneously decrying their bombast.
Bigotry still exists in America, but life's too short. It's easier to just shut your pie hole and keep moving.
Even Jason Whitlock, the nation's most credible traffic cop working the intersection of sports and society, thinks Limbaugh owning the Rams would be a bad idea.
Here are two quotes from the best-of Rush Limbaugh racist collection:
"You know who deserves a posthumous Medal of Honor? James Earl Ray (Dr. King's assassin). We miss you, James. Godspeed."
And ...
"Let's face it, we didn't have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: Slavery built the South. I'm not saying we should bring it back. I'm just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark."
You can argue the comments are presented out of context and were meant as jokes. Then I'd argue that Limbaugh needs to get on the comedy-club circuit and out of the business of attempting to influence presidential politics.
Jason admits the comments were yanked from their larger, sarcastic context by provocateurs wanting only to inflame, but it doesn't matter. Limbaugh is not authorized to make such cracks that are routine fodder for liberal comedians, black and white.
Rush doesn't belong to that exclusive club, but he brazenly barges in the front door amid billowing clouds of fragrant cigar smoke and pungent right-wing commentary. He doesn't know his place.
So he is deemed a racist. This is why a large segment of the population just avoids the whole subject. Invite me in to "dialog" and then castigate me for saying the wrong thing? Nah, I don't need the hassle.
There are certain franchises in America, exclusive clubs, where only the right kind of people are welcome. I'm staying away. I know my place.
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