Not being a racial specialist of any kind, I just want to throw something out there and see what people think, see if they might take a second look at an awkward moment and celebrate a victory for those who would prefer race not be a factor in American life.  This is somewhat like what I feel Obama did with the Reverent Rick Warren related to Warren's discriminatory stance against gays.  Obama brought Warren out onto the stage so that the people could discuss Warren's position.  In my humble opinion, Obama gave the country the opportunity to take the position apart and it was done enthusiastically across the board.  In general, the public took down the false-righteousness Warren had thought he genuinely held.  We are hearing nothing from him now.  He stuttered and stumbled and he's so last inauguration.  I think we won.  Now we have a similar moment.  Let's celebrate!!!

It is unknown what the intentions of Ann Compton were at the time when she asked if race was an issue in any way in Obama's relationships with his cabinet and other nations, but the answer ws superb.  Obama is a man with a great deal of poise and dignity so he did not say what I now believe he really, really, if he were being real, wanted to say.  And I am not saying he was not being real, or he is not real, but you will know what I mean.  What he really wanted to say was, "After Day 1, no one gives a sh*t!"

Is this not the victory we are seeking?

That being said, I do not see any reason to cease celebrating his achievement as an African-American, but I think this illustrates the achievement, once again, of what our country did.  Sure, there are some stragglers yearning for the good old days in the 50s, many of whom were barely old enough to read or write at the time, but that just means those people are delusional and no one should take them seriously.  Don't lose sight of them, keep track of what they are doing, but acknowledge, they are not in the mainstream, no matter how often they may declare that they are. Time marches on, with or without them.  There HAS been a change.  Our future together looks very bright.  Got Hope?  

There really needs to be an expose of the profiles of people who still watch FOX at all.  What kind of psychological issues do these people have to bring them back to FOX every day?  I have a theory, but no credentials to make it worth much more then a brain fart let out despite my best efforts not to embarass myself, but I'm too familiar with embarassment to let that stop me most times, <i>brain</i> farting that is.  I'm pretty reliable with keeping the other kind to myself.  I wish I could train my dawgz to do the same!

There has to be some sort of emotional high for people who return time and again to shows like Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck.  It occurs to me that people, in general, are all seeking an emotion to confirm they are alive.  FOX sells anger/rage to people.  Bill O'Reilly and the rest have a <i>schtick</i> that they play over and over again.  It's tiresome to watch for me because it seems all so contrived, but I know there are others who may not see things for what I believe they are.

Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert are making fortunes with their parodies of FOX.  There is a wide audience for their <i>schtick</i> as well, but people are laughing about it.  Then, one day, a Daily Show reporter, Wyatt Cenac, I believe, went to South Florida during the election.  In a room full of seniors one lady was defending the worst President in American history and was confused by the disagreement aroused by her stand.  She innocently declared, "I heard it on FOX News!"  The room erupted in laughter.  She sought to redeem herself by meekly saying, "...but they're fair and balanced."  More laughter.  I was intrigued by her evident sincerity.

It seems that the FOX faithful have been isolated from the rest of the media by the accusation that the MSM is part of some vast left wing conspiracy.  So FOX folks have no other place they can go, no one else they can trust.  They listen to the noise and watch the anger develop and they share the feelings.  Being brought to this emotional place, they no longer are capable of hearing what is actually being said, nor of asking themselves, "Is this true?" 

A classic example of this is Glenn Beck's recent meltdown.  The man became visibly tearful as he described his country disintegrating before his blurry eyes.  This was a few weeks after bringing a couple of militant Reich-wingers on board describing their nightmarish vision of a future when small towns isolate themselves from outsiders and take care of their own because the rest of the nation has become so unstable.  Glenn Beck is the one in tears talking about how the COUNTRY is unstable?!?

It seems to me some thorough research by professionals should be able to break it down.  What do these people get from being angry <b>all the time!!!</b>?  Of course, I wonder what I get from being angry all the time as well, sitting here ripping at FOX, but in the interests of being polite, let's look at them first!  :-{)>