The mosque, Dr. Laura, and race in America

This has been a strange week.  We've been treated to a longtime radio talk show host melting down on the air, not for the first time, and a President backtracking from one of the best speeches he's made regarding the Constitution.  Very entertaining, and of course distracting the masses from the real problems that face us in these troubled times. 


First, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, the veteran radio "counselor" whose doctorate has nothing to do with psychology or psychiatry (basically, she's qualified to be a gym teacher), repeats the "N-word" several times over the air during an exchange with an African-American caller whose white husband seems to be insensitive to his friends' racial slurs in her presence.  As usual, the good "doctor" responded with her trademark insensitivity, ranting about how the election of the first (half) black President should basically silence the debate about race in this country, conveniently forgetting the Obama-as-witch-doctor posters, the insane threats on his and his family's lives, and the general racist tone among his opponents.  Never addressing the caller's problem, Dr. Laura proceeded with a rant about First Amendment rights and the acceptability of "nigger" among the black populace.


Dr. (and I use this title loosely) S, of course, after the expected outrage, had to apologize, much like after one of her frequent anti-homosexual rants of a few years ago.  She then, on Larry King Live, that bastion of hard-hitting interviewing, announced that she was abandoning her radio career, as she felt that she needed to be able to exercise her First Amendment freedom of speech rights without the specter of all of her opponents' hovering over her.  Even the senescent Larry King seemed dumbfounded by her stupid rationale, as hopefully were most viewers.


I first caught Dr. Laura many years ago on local radio.  At the time, she seemed to be a "tough love" kind of gal, and I found myself agreeing with her on many of her responses to callers.  Matter of fact, logical.  But at some point, this woman slipped around the bend.  Her rants against gay folks were not only philosophical, but apparently personal and introspective.  Might have had something to do with her amateur nudie films from the 70s that surfaced a few years back.  I don't know.  I don't pretend to be a professional therapist, unlike her.  But as time went on, I couldn't continue to listen.  Especially after witnessing the rise of hate radio in the 80s--the Limbaughs, Hannitys, Levins, Ingrahams, et. al.  The vehemence of her attitudes toward people who legitimately sought her advice was just too much.


I'm sure Ms. Laura will succeed.  There are enough right wing nuts in this country, bred of an anti-government and anti-progressive (and definitely anti-critical thinking) groups who would love to have her speak.  She'll do well, and maybe be more successful on the lecture circuit than she was before this.  As P.T. Barnum said, there's a sucker born every minute.


On to President Obama.   This administration seems to have an uncanny knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.  Witness Mr. Obama's recent proclamation of the majesty of the First Amendment regarding the "Ground Zero Mosque" (actually, a Muslim community center with a prayer room which is to be located three blocks from the Twin Towers site).  The President stated simply that the freedom of religion allowed Americans of all faiths to worship freely; his support for this simple, yet basic, American concept was eloquent and simple.

Fast forward a couple of days, as the usual spew of vitriol from the hate media made its scheduled appearance.  POTUS backed away from his earlier remarks in a particularly clumsy fashion, stating that he was not referring to the location of the "mosque", only of the overall concept of freedom of religion. So much for the "inspirational leader" for whom a majority of Americans voted two years ago. 

The President, on the campaign trail in 2008, gave a wonderful speech regarding the state of race relations in America.  He might want to give another one, particularly with one-fifth of his countrymen believing him to be a Muslim, which not only speaks to the "dumbing down" of America, but also to the climate of fear of that mysterious "other" so well cultivated by the Bush Administration.  I think it's time for our first African-American President to revisit this issue and confront the hate being fomented by those who would divert us from the real issues confronting us.