There are some things in this world that I find hard to understand. I understand fine dining. I get that a catchy name captures the attention. But what mind would consider Hitler’s Cross a good name for a restaurant? I realize that it didn’t last long, and that India only has roughly 5,000 Jews. But should the number of Jews in a nation really make a difference on such a bad idea? It’s just offensive. The fact that politicians and celebrities were on hand for the opening, and then turned around denouncing the place just days later is not only duplicitous but shocking.
In other insulting news, it hasn’t taken long for the ill-conceived premise of the latest season of Survivor to evoke ugliness. Mr. Rush Limbaugh has become the first, of I fear to guess how many individuals, to comment with what I interpret as a small-minded response. I must quote him to capture the scope of it, “Right-wing mouthpiece Rush Limbaugh, always keen to harangue on delicate subjects, took to handicapping the new season on his radio show Wednesday.
Hispanics, he said, "have shown a remarkable ability to cross borders" and "will do things other people won't do." Asians, per Limbaugh, are "the best at espionage, keeping secrets." Blacks "lack buoyancy" and are "more likely to drown," while the white man's burden will weigh down the last team with "guilt over the fact that they run things."
Statements like that make me feel like he would have enjoyed the above mentioned restaurant. And it will only get worse if the show is allowed to air on television. Is CBS so desperate as to sink this low to get ratings? I’d love to see a boycott of the station is this program is allowed to continue. Somehow I doubt it though.
On brighter and happier news, the Emmy Awards were announced. It truly is my pleasure to congratulate Mr. Andre Braugher for his win, as I thought his work on Thief was fantastic which I reviewed in my post FX television shows and quality TV. Also Mr. Alan Alda was recognized for his work on The West Wing, a show filled with great performances and deep thought. To few television programs contain such quality, both in writing and acting. Perhaps the execs in charge of greenlighting the reality shows should watch these shows and learn that you get what you pay for.
Lastly I want to cheer Mr. Martin Sheen (real name is Ramon Estevez, yep he’s Hispanic!) While Mr. Sheen has had a great career, though often snubbed by the Emmy’s for his work on The West Wing, he never finished high school. That never stopped him from standing up for causes he felt were worthwhile. That is something I’ve always respected even if I disagreed with the particular cause from time to time. But Mr. Estevez has gone a step further, currently planning to go back to school and finishing his studies. I find it impressive that a man with his stature and wealth can acknowledge that higher learning is worth attaining at any age. That self-improvement doesn’t end when you get a nice paycheck. I wish more athletes that forgo college to seek sports careers would realize this.
This is what I think, what do you think?
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