Terrible news about the incident involving Michard Richard's a.k.a. "Cosmo Kramer." I don't agree with his antics and use of the racial epithets, but it's his right to say them...and suffer the consequences in the public marketplace for doing so. That's what free speech is all about. (Dixie Chicks, take a lesson). But at the risk of seeming insensitive to the issue at hand, racism, I have a few questions:
Do you think anyone will ask: "What are the social roots his racism?"Do you think anyone will ask: "Could the incident be the fault of black hecklers in the crowd?"Do you think anyone will ask: "Are black people creating racism?"
You probably would answer no, no one would ask such questions for there is no excuse for what Richards did. Comedian Paul Rodriquez said of the incident:
"We do not condone, accept or will have him repeat that onstage," Rodriguez said. "He has always done cutting-edge stuff, and I was sitting in the back waiting for a punchline or something, but there was nothing. The African-Americans in the audience were rightly offended."
Fair enough. Now let me ask this question: If his behavior is unacceptable and no one would think of asking questions like "Are black people creating racism by fighting racism?" then why do we ask questions like these whenever we're attacked by terrorists?
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