Sportsmanshit

Sorry to add to the foofaw being made about the rash of human nature breaking out at an otherwise wholesome NBA game the other day, but as this incident is in some quarters being portrayed as a reflection on my old hometown, I just have a couple of things to say.

I know that for many, the words "Detroit" and "riot" in the same sentence immediately conjures images of all those darkies going wild, like something out of Bill Cosby's worst nightmare. But here's a little reality: the Pistons play their games in Auburn Hills, MI, a very white suburb about 45 minutes from the city proper. Ticket prices there preclude most but the wealthiest (ergo whitest) from attending games, and the famously aggressive cops in the four or five Oakland County suburbs one must traverse to get from Detroit to the arena serve as a further encouragement for any nonwhite Detroiters with less than shiny cars or less than spotless paperwork to watch the game on TV. The fan identified as the one who tossed the cup that launched a thousand fat lips is one John Green of West Bloomfield MI, a demographically significant white enclave. Funny how no one is talking about those goddamn junglistic white folks in the suburbs who just can't control themselves over a goddam game and have to ruin it for the rest of us.

Finally, why does this collateral damage get the most serious sanction and public scrutiny, while this does not?

NPRrrrrgghh! Or, Talk Like Scott Simon Day

This morning on NPR:

STEVE INSKEEP: Joining us now are Don Gonyea, White House correspondent for NPR, and Scott Horsley, who covered the Kerry campaign. We'd like to ask them to wrap up this election season by offering some superfluous confirmation of the fatuous insights regarding the candidates that they've treated us to for the last six months. Don, let's start with you.

DON GONYEA: Thanks, Steve. I'll happily talk about Bush The Likeable Guy and refrain from discussing anything resembling the reality that our President is still a functional illiterate with an intemperate mean streak and by most accounts is probably a dry drunk.

INSKEEP: Scott, is it true that Kerry was just Too Goddamned Stiff? What's up with that?

SCOTT HORSLEY: Absolutely, Steve. And let me just add a colorful human interest anecdote that re-affirms the 'effete and austere' stereotype: There's this guy from USA Today who compared Kerry's reaction to microphones to a vampire's reaction to a cross. And I hope that you're appreciating my subtle reiteration through the use of this story the meme that Kerry was insufficiently or insincerely religious.

It's Fall Fund Drive this week, and as usual it has me cursing the fact that I can tune in WXYC for only as far as the halfway point of my commute. But I couldn't help but notice the premiums that our local NPR station is offering for a Cheapskate Level pledge of $75: A BBC coffee mug and a year's subscription to Newsweek.

Doesn't that just say it all?

Leaving alone the coffee mug that could only serve as a daily reminder of the fact that Americans have to tune into the BBC to get any decent reportage of the Iraq war, don't they think that most NPR listeners listen mainly to avoid just the sort of facile regurgitation of conventional wisdom practiced by the likes of Newsweek? Or am I just a bitter communist or something?

Mourning in America

Well, there it is. I'm going to pour myself a bourbon and put on some Glenn Gould and allow myself a few final hours of sorrow.

Then it's time to fucking fight.

I'll be back in a day or two with something to say. Until then I commend you to the tender and uplifting mercies of the Rude Pundit.