Where is the real news - part 1

There has been a lot of news of late based on comments made by politicians and commentators. I’ve spoken about some comments made by Mr. Pat Buchanan and Mr. Mark Williams [What some on Fox News are saying...] which I feel were truly despicable. Observations and responses to the statements of public figures is something that everyone should be aware of. That is when such figures are in public, or privately deriving public policy.

I say that because of the recent leak of, and subsequent apology by, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his private comments. [By the way what does his name mean? It’s black something right?] Gov. Schwarzenegger was quoted when he was speaking about Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia (a Latina of Puerto Rican descent) as saying, "I mean Cuban, Puerto-Rican, they are all very hot have the, you know, part of the black blood in them and part of the Latino blood in them that together makes it." Now when I first read the headline of the article and the first paragraph of the article (stating the apology) I was a bit miffed. But I have told people about my ‘hot latin blood’ in one form or another, as have many Hispanic friends of mine in addition to numerous movies and books. It’s not that serious, and depending on the whole context (which has not been given) quite innocent. There are better things to seek out and comment on than this, so why are the petty things always out there?

Like what various famous Black African American figures have thought about President Clinton’s Administration and time in office. A new book Conversations: William Jefferson Clinton, From Hope to Harlem speaks with nearly 100 of these figures, including Mr. Hank Aaron, former Mayor Bill Campbell, and U.S. Rep. John Lewis. While I am interested in different views on the effect, or lack of one, that an Administration has had on the lives of Americans especially those of Hispanic or African American descent, I have a different question. President Clinton has been oft referred to as the ‘first black President’, a phrase coined by Ms. Toni Morrison. Why? Because he was the debatably first president to carry a large portion of the popular African American vote? That does not confer ethnicity, as if it were a commodity or consumer item like a t-shirt.

With due respect to Ms. Morrison, I do understand where she was coming from with the phrase; I find the usage by the media to be out of context. It dismays me. It implies a commercialization of black culture that I find insulting. It also implies a preferential treatment, as used by the media that never occurred. Of course I may not be the only one that feels this way, and thus the book is of interest to me. If anyone has already read it I’d love to hear their comments.

Continued in part 2...