Wow! What a week!
The Congressional Black Caucus wore Kente cloth while attending the State of the Union address. Maybe they thought they were going to a premier of “Black Panther.” Instead, they got stuck listening to Trump talk for more than an hour.
And here we go…
It’s just the ‘n’ word
Children’s Theatre of Charlotte is putting on the production “And in This Corner: Cassius Clay.” The play is about the famed boxer before he became Muhammad Ali. Schools have been cancelling their tickets based on Clay using the “n” word. The actor playing Clay uses the word to describe how it was used against him by racists. But this is more than just the “n” word. Some adults don’t want their children knowing that African Americans were discriminated against. I guess we are still pretending that all the racists flew away in a spaceship.
All these damn bikes
If you walk around center city, you probably have tripped over a bicycle lying on the ground. Charlotte proper looks like the front yard of a family of 10. I get that Charlotte is trying to get people out of their cars, but this is too much. I suggest they place the bikes out in the suburbs to alleviate congestion. But our greenways are not connected yet, so that might not work. Bike-sharing programs have merit, but can’t we tidy up a bit.
When white privilege won’t work
White nationalist Richard Spencer is facing a lawsuit based on his role in the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. In case you forgot, he was one of the main leaders of the Unite the Right rally last August. He claims he can’t get a lawyer in the state of Virginia. It’s the former capital of the Confederacy, for crying out loud. I’m from Virginia, so I know racists are still running around the joint. Spencer made a crucial mistake when he used Charlottesville as his line in the sand. He should have picked Alabama, where Roy Moore could have represented him.
Open foot insert mouth
North Carolina State Schools Superintendent Mark Johnson doesn’t understand how cost of living works. He stated that $35,000 a year is “good money” for young teachers. For teachers in urban areas, that’s not a lot of money. Just to pay the rent and have groceries on that amount is stretching it. And don’t forget that many teachers spend their own money to buy school supplies. North Carolina will need more cash to recruit and retain teachers. How did we get here? Johnson, sounding like an aristocrat from the 1700s, won the position by beating a candidate endorsed by the NCAE (North Carolina Association of Educators).
C’mon, man
Former Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin was living the good life in sunny southern California. He had the Pacific Ocean, Hollywood and Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles. This week he was traded to the Detroit Pistons. During his press conference he said, “This is where I want to be.” I’m sorry, dude, but I don’t believe you for a minute. Look at what you gave up, all because you didn’t have a no-trade clause in your contract. You can’t eat a piece of fried chicken at the beach in Detroit. He’s all smiles now, but when that snow hits him, he’ll be singing a different tune.
