Racism is still alive and well in this country and anyone who doubts it need only look at the case that has been unfolding for over a year in Jena, LA.  What is most disturbing about this case is that the boys who initially hung the nooses, as well as several other city and court officials, considered their actions a “prank”. For someone who has never known the symbolism behind nooses, or had a “lynching” affect them or their ancestors directly, I’m sure they could see this as a “prank”. But it wasn’t, nor will it ever be a prank. Everything about the whole sequence of events up to and including the initial court proceedings where Mychal Bell was convicted by an all-white jury are suspicious. Jury of his peers? Not so much.

I’ve stated numerous times, in numerous posts that in many instances perception is reality. We all know that it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the whole bunch. This is what has happened in Jena, dating all the way back to September 2006. Not everyone in Jena, LA is a racist or bigot, but the actions of 3 boys, 3 white boys, and the chain of events that unfolded has painted this town in that light.

Now while I’ve long held the belief that these types of incidents are the ones that get the headlines, it’s the long, slow creep of closet bigotry that is keeping us from ever attaining racial harmony. I say “closet bigotry” because most of these people wouldn’t dare give air to these kinds of thoughts in public. Yet at home, among their friends and confidants, they feel no fear of calling black people niggers, mexicans spics, etc. These racist attitudes will never change unless we teach our children to treat all people equally. The only caveat is that if you’re an asshat, you’re an asshat regardless of sex, race, sexual orientation, creed, religion, political leanings, whatever.

The boys that originally hung the nooses in the tree had to learn their hate from somewhere. Most likely their parents and/or other family members. This is where the problem is. Responsible adults teach their children the basic Bible tenet of “love thy neighbor”. Having grown up in a religious household, I heard that saying many times. I like to think I’ve done my best to live it as well. Yet there are some folks, religious and non-religious alike, who like to put conditions on that phrase:

I love everyone, except the niggers. And maybe the mexicans too. Those damn niggers coming into our neighborhood stealing from us hard-working white folks. And them damn spics coming here from Mexico illegally taking our jobs!

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard remarks similar to those throughout my life. By God-fearing Christians as well those who aren’t. For the Christians, I just quote a little of my favorite Sunday School song:

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

I’m not religious by any means anymore, but I do subscribe to the best that Christianity has to offer. The Golden Rule and some of Jesus’ other teachings have stayed with me from when I was a boy myself and I try to live a life that follows those tenets as much as possible. And those are the lessons that ALL parents need to teach their children. Until that happens, stories like the one about Jena, LA will continue to grab headlines. Remember unequal justice is no justice at all.

For some additional information about the controversy in Jena, LA, please see these articles:

It’s still about race in Jena, La. - Seattle PI

Beating Charges split La. Town Along Racial Lines-NPR

Another of the reasons I haven’t been posting much lately even before my 2 month hiatus was that I have been second guessing myself. A lot. As I stated in my previous post, I have often started a post, deleted a post, started another on and deleted that one too. I don’t know what the cause of this second-guessing is. Maybe it’s just that there are so many other excellent writers/bloggers out there that somehow I feel inferior. Perhaps that’s true, but in all the time I’ve had this site that fear hasn’t bothered me as much as it has recently.  I’m going to jump back in this game, get back on my horse and ride. But there are going to be some baby steps. There have to be baby steps. As the saying goes, you have to crawl before you can walk. So crawl I must.

One other reason is my timeliness or rather the lack thereof. When issues present themselves either through the media or other blogs, I’m usually very late in posting my thoughts. Most of the time, my thoughts tend to parrot what others have put out there. That kind of bothers me at times. I know I’ll never be the best, most well-known blogger on the Internets, but damn it I try. So please bear with me as I slowly get back in the swing of things. If what I have to say is nothing more than what you’ve already heard somewhere else, forgive me. I’ll try to do better.

I’d like to think some of you have been wondering where I’ve been for the last two months, but maybe you haven’t. Either way, I feel the need to tell you anyway. I’ve been to Hell. Okay, not really, I just wanted to see if you were paying attention!

The past two months have kept me busier than a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest. Literally. At the end of June we began a project to remodel our kitchen. We did everything but tear it down to the studs meaning we left the original drywall, as much as we could anyway. Consequently, we’ve gone into debt too, but at least we added some value to the house. We replaced/added the following:

• new cabinets
• all new lighting
• widened the archway to the living room
• put down ceramic tile in kitchen and half-bath
• replaced the kitchen window from a slide-by to a double-hung
• replaced the back storm and screen doors
• spray-textured the entire kitchen and half bath
• painted the entire kitchen, living room, half-bath, and stairwell to the basement
• new countertop
• moved all kitchen appliances
• added an above-range microwave
• vented said microwave through the roof
• new kitchen sink, faucet, and garbage disposal
• new ceiling fan
• had new roof put on too

So as you can see, I’ve been a busy boy the past two months. I hope my regular readers haven’t abandoned me. And I want to let you all know I’m back for the time being although I do have some changes coming up within the next month or so. I hope to change the look around here as well as add some additional categories for posts that hopefully will get me back to posting more frequently. Prior to remodeling the kitchen, I had feeling kind of apathetic to the political scene. It was basically making me sick to even think about. I would start a post, delete a post, start a post, delete a post ad infinitum. I know the hosts some of MY regular reads have gotten that way at times as well. If any of you have any ideas on what I can do to clean this place up, don’t hesitate to drop me a line in the comments. Even if it’s nothing more than to tell me to go away. I won’t listen, but you can say it anyway.