A Christian Liberal is NOT an oxymoron.

Posted by XT on June 24th, 2008 in General

So Don Imus is at it again - maybe. The man with the face tailor-made for radio is in trouble for wondering if a football player in the NFL is black. That, of course, is racist because we all know that only black men play in the NFL.

I really don’t care. I think it’s kind of stupid, to be honest. If someone doesn’t like Imus because they think he’s a racist; then they should tune out. If they think he’s great because he’s a racist; then they should tune in. Whatever. But what struck me was the end of the article:

So what is at work here, folks? Have Americans all lost the ability to detect sarcasm (the subject of this excellent science story)? Is Don Imus guilty of racism? Was this episode the calculated controversy-stirring of a veteran shock jock, meant to split the debate in two? Or is his on-air transformation complete, from a voice that was outrageously racially insensitive to one that is quite sensitive indeed?

There’s a link to this article talking about the ability - or lack of it - to detect sarcasm. My answer? Yes, Americans have, by and large, lost their ability to detect sarcasm. Instead, they have a finely honed ability to be offended at relatively inoffensive statements. Such as when I was attacked at Daily Kos for depicting Barack Obama as a stick figure - because, you know, a stick figure reminds “people” of the game “Hangman” and everyone knows that black men have been lynched and hung so therefore Barack Obama being depicted as a stick figure is wrong, bordering in racist. It’s a total load of crap.

Let Don Imus do whatever he wants. If you like it, listen. If not; don’t. But let’s try and look at the world with a bit of humor, okay? Not everything is the Most Serious Issue Facing the World Today.

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