What Was That, Lou?

I only know one adverb beginning sentence that starts with Cotton, and that's "Cotton-picking nigger." What were you about to call her, Lou?

Since the Don Imus fiasco, professional public personalities have seemingly strengthened their resolve to push the envelope in the attempt to be "cutting edge". Rush Limbaugh's "Barack, the Magic Negro" song aired before the Imus' fifteen minutes was even up.

Not to be outdone when it comes to pulling out star power to measure size, Lou Dobbs seems to be following suit as well. Its only a matter of time before the ballsiest of our white news anchors decides to go the Full Monty, and says the n-word on air, then dares to be challenged.

Public racism up to the FCC to regulate, and trying to curb it without trampling one's first amendment rights is too tight a rope for me to walk, but a pubic service announcement for all those walking the fence in this endless n-word discussion: If you know the word is offensive, why advocate for its use at all?

MLK Wiretaps Raise Quesions

Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act(FOIA), countless FBI records recently reveal the agencies unhealthy obsession with tracking every move of civil rights champion Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. A few questions that come to mind after reading the story:

• Why was his surveillance constant and seemingly unrestricted?
• The stated reason for the initial surveillance were "to prove he was influenced by communist": what sort of influences does our free nation consider threatening nowadays that would warrant a citizen to be monitored, and does it violate any first amendment rights?
  
• Since the surveillance gathered only embarrassing personal details, why were the records kept and publicized, since they didn't relate to any criminal activity?

• Why did the FBI send him threatening and harassing letters? Is this standard practice for them?

Speaking on behalf of King's character, had the FBI had that level on surveillance on me(gulp!), they would have found much worse than a couple of sex incidents and a few off color jokes. Their attacks on his character have only elevated him in my eyes, knowing him at his worst is similar to me on a weekday.