Baseball Politics and Kramer
November 25th, 2006Chuck Hagel has written an op-ed calling for us to pullout of Iraq. I’m not sure where I stand on the matter just yet. I’m going to take time to digest it.
One of the saddest things in today’s world is that Cuban baseball players must flee Cuba on a boat. The harrowing trips that had to be taken by Orlando Hernandez and Jose Contreras to flee Cuba are sad reminders that there is still tyranny in today’s world. Now Hugo Chavez of Venezuela is talking about keeping Venezuelan ballplayers in Venezuela. I believe that the embargo on Cuba is in dire need of death and that Fidel Castro is in dire need of death. If Hugo Chavez goes down this road and keeps my beloved Freddy Garcia in Venezuela — or, worse, winds up exiling him from his home — like has happened to my dear Jose Contreras, then he’ll deserve the same fate Castro does. (Though they can keep Santana, if that’s what’ll get him out of Minnesota.)
When Chavez talks about economics and enriching his country and its people, that’s one thing (largely the bullshit of a criminal, to be sure, but all populists have some legitimate grievances) but there is no way to defend him if he were to pull this stunt. I don’t think he will, when he wins re-election, but if he does, the American government ought to sanction him for holding a significant portion of his populace hostage.
Off the subject of heavy politics, let’s get to something a little less life-or-death serious: Kramer from Seinfeld, as everybody now knows, called hecklers at one of his comedy shows “niggers” and told them that half a century ago they’d be hanging upside down. He was in a fit (appeared to be drugged out of his mind) and in my opinion, it’s obvious he’s a racist. You don’t tell someone that they’d be gassed in Nazi Germany or hanging in Confederate America unless there’s a deep hatred bubbling in your heart. Besides that, he really isn’t funny, but the guys who he cursed out aren’t exactly victims, as evidenced by their demands of an “apology and maybe some money.” Am I the only one who finds the following — from the news piece — funny:
“Our clients were vulnerable,” Allred said. “He went after them. He singled them out and he taunted them, and he did it in a closed room where they were captive.” The video of Richards’ outburst shows several people getting up and walking out as he shouts at the audience.
Uh?