Bernie Mac received some angry heckling and harsh criticism in response to a 10 minute stand-up routine he performed over the weekend for none other than presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama. Just how did Senator Obama respond? With his usual slippery slope comments wanting to please everyone. Mac made a surprise appearance at a fundraising event for Obama in downtown Chicago. Audience members paid $2,300 a plate to attend. Just what did Mac do? He joked about menopause, sexual infidelity, promiscuity, and he did not curb his language at all. But than again, that’s pretty much to be expected out of someone like Bernie Mac. He is simply another example of a comedian who doesn’t know how to work for his comedy. Instead, he goes for the rude and crude, hoping for a quick laugh, instead of a good laugh. Reality is, most people laugh at the rude and crude because they’re uncomfortable. Mac is simply not a funny guy.

Many attending the Obama fundraiser said Mac’s commentary was offensive to women. After Mac finished, Senator Obama took to the microphone and said, “We can’t afford to be divided by race. We can’t afford to be divided by region or by class and we can’t afford to be divided by gender, which by the way, that means, Bernie, you’ve got to clean up your act next time. This is a family affair.” But then, the slippery-slope-presidential-candidate-Obama quickly added, “By the way, I’m just messing with you, man.”

So which is is Senator Obama? Were you offended and are you standing up for those in the audience who paid $2,300 dollars a plate to support you? Or, are you more concerned about saving face with a rude and crude comedian? You can’t have it both ways Mr. Obama. You either believe Bernie Mac is not representing a family-friendly audience, or you don’t. You can’t have it both ways. Making matters even worse, after Senator Obama plays both sides of the fence live, campaign officials later criticized Mac’s material. A spokeswoman said, “Senator Obama told Bernie Mac that he doesn’t condone these statements and believes what was said was inappropriate.”

Once again Senator Obama I ask you this simple question - Which is it? Do you not condone his material? Or are you just “messing with” Bernie Mac? What did you really say to the rude and crude comedian? Did you take him aside and say something like - “I love your material man! It’s great! But, I’m trying to get elected president so I have to tell everyone I didn’t like what you did. But, just between you and me, I love ya man!”

When will people see Senator Barak Obama for the snake-oil-selling-chameleon he really is. Senator Obama is taking political pandering to an all time high. He changes his tune to suit his audience. But then, he can even change his tune in mid-sentence if he fears someone in the audience might not like what he’s saying. Come on people, lets be smart here. It’s time to start thinking and stop with the fascination of a man President Bush originally said - “He looks real good. He’s clean cut.” Good looks and a clean cut does not mean he will make a good President. It’s time to realize Senator Obama is living a pipe-dream which means much of what he says will truly go up in smoke when push comes to shove.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Senator Obama clearly defeated Senator Clinton for her bid to the Oval Office in the upcoming election cycle. Of course we heard all the stories of the fact that Senator Obama was out-fund-raising Senator Clinton at every corner. As a matter of fact, Senator Clinton had to loan her campaign some of her own money so it wouldn’t go under. Apparently her loan didn’t pay off, nor did it pay all the bills. By the time she threw in the towel, her campaign was mired in millions of dollars in debt.

Shortly after Senator Clinton handed the reigns of the presidential campaign over to Senator Obama, she started begging for money from the young Senator. Now, time and time again, we’re seeing the pair appear at so-called fund raisers trying to unify the Democratic party, and raise money at the same time. But, we often hear Senator Obama asking his supporters to give money to Senator Clinton to help pay off her debt. I find this phenomenon both amazing and very interesting. I can’t remember a time in political history when the winner has decided to fund raise for the loser. What’s going on here? Could it be that the behind-closed-door-meetings between the Obama camp and the Clinton camp went something like this;

Clinton Rep - If you want us to support you, have your guy help pay off our debt.
Obama Rep - (Lots of laughing) Forget it!
Clinton Rep - If you don’t help out, we will launch a smear campaign which will put you out of politics forever.
Obama Rep - Yes Ma’am. Where do we sign.

Just something I’ve been thinking about this morning.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are quick to call for the resignation of anyone who says something they consider degrading to others. However, when the shoe is on the other foot, they seem to get a pass time and time again. Who’s getting the pass this time? Jesse Jackson. Does Senator Barack Obama talk down to black people? Apparently Jesse Jackson thinks he does. But, when voicing his thoughts on this, Jackson said some very degrading things about the presidential candidate. I’m not going to write here what he said, but I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Jackson figures Senator Obama should go from a tenor to a soprano.

As Jackson wrapped up an interview with Fox News last Sunday he was asked about the speeches Senator Obama has been giving. Jackson, who says he thought the microphone was turned off, responded by saying he needs to stop “talking down to black people.” He then went on to say, in a very rude and crude way, the Senator needs to have something “cut off.”

First off, Mr. Jackson, maybe it’s time for you to learn something I was taught in first year radio broadcasting — Treat every mic as a hot mic! — Secondly, Mr. Jackson, maybe it’s time for people to figure out you’re really not a nice man. It doesn’t matter whether you thought the microphone was hot or not. Reality is, you’re supposed to be a man of God. You do have a Reverend in front of your name. That means you should simply know better. Such comments should never come from your mouth in the first place. If you were ordained in the organization I’m a leader in, your credentials would be gone. Of course they would have been gone long ago, but this is just another example of why you should not be known as a Reverend.

But here’s the real sticking point in this story. We all know the stories of the people Jackson and Sharpton have gone after for making degrading comments. We also know the outcome of most of their crusades. But in this case, just as usual, Jackson gets a pass. He says he’s sorry, and life goes on. Where is the public outcry? Why does he get a pass? The only answer is a simple one - it’s called hypocrisy, and possibly Jesse Jackson is the biggest hypocrite out there in this case.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus

Have you noticed how many words are going through a transformation of definitions which have no connection with the original definition at all? In this PC world we live in, it seems people randomly redefine words so the meaning is twisted to fit a situation which has no connection to the definition of the word at all. In the end, this is nothing more than another example of situation ethics. If you don’t like the situation you’re in, simply use a word and twist the meaning so it fits your situation.

Over the past week I’ve noticed such a transformation with the word prejudice. It started with a casual conversation with my son who’s working on a high school paper. He said he’s writing about prejudice. I of course thought he was going to look at a civil rights issue. But no, such is not the case. Instead, he went on to spin out his thesis for the paper saying he’s writing about the prejudice people with body piercing face. Umm, excuse? Body pierced people facing prejudice? What a minute. That’s a choice people make and if they don’t want to be presentable in the world, then it’s their choice to look like some kind of pin cushion full of holes and hunks of metal. My son went on to say people with body piercings face prejudicial situations when they’re denied jobs and other things like that. No, that’s not prejudice. That’s common sense, and again, it’s their choice to look like what they look like.

Now some of the people involved in the polygamy colony are claiming prejudice in the way they’re being dealt with. Hold it! Prejudice? No I don’t think so. Of course the people are complaining about the way they’re being treated. They don’t like the fact they’re being treated like criminals. Instead, they’re saying it’s because the world is prejudice toward them and don’t understand them. Umm, no, that’s not the case at all. The fact of the matter is, polygamy is against the law, and therefore you are criminals. There’s no prejudicial mindset there.

Let’s recap for a moment here. Just what does the word prejudice mean? Webster’s defines the word as; 1: Injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of one’s rights; especially, detriment to one’s legal rights or claims; 2a1: Preconceived judgment or opinion; 2: An adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before suffcient knowledge; b: An instance of such judgment or opinion; c: An irrational attitude of hostility directed against an indivual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics.

Again, let’s recap here; Those with body-piercing have made a concious choice of their own to make their bodies pin cushions. To say people are prejudice toward them because of a choice they made, does not fit the definition. Secondly, the polygamist have broken the law. It is against the law to have more than one wife. So, for those in the polygamist colony to now say they’re not criminals, and instead are facing a prejudicial mindset from others, is simply not the case. You broke the law, there’s no prejudice mindset at all.

It’s time to stop the situational ethics mindset, and discover what words really mean before we toss them around just to make people feel sorry for us.

Just my two cents,
Dr. Rus