Kowabunga

Black Hole Is Racist?

There is a heap-big brouhaha going on in Dallas County over an incident in a meeting of the County Commissioners. From the Dallas City Hall blog:

County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who is white, said it seemed that central collections “has become a black hole” because paperwork reportedly has become lost in the office.

Commissioner John Wiley Price, who is black, interrupted him with a loud “Excuse me!” He then corrected his colleague, saying the office has become a “white hole.”

That prompted Judge Thomas Jones, who is black, to demand an apology from Mayfield for his racially insensitive analogy.

Mayfield shot back that it was a figure of speech and a science term.

Mayfield is right on both cases. As a science term, a black hole is an object that sucks in all matter; nothing can escape a black hole’s gravitational pull - not even light, thus the name black hole. Price, who wanted to refer to it as a “white hole” has clearly made a racial reference. Yes, Virginia, there are theoretical objects called white holes, but they are the polar opposite of a black hole, spewing forth matter. If an analogy of “white hole” were applicable to the central collections office, then they would not be talking about problems in how that office handles paperwork, but would be commending it. The difference between a black hole and a white hole clear as black and white. Or is that racial insensitive now as well. We’ll see.

Price has a lot more to say on FoxNews:

“So if it’s ‘angel food cake,’ it’s white. If it’s ‘devil’s food cake,’ it’s black. If you’re the ‘black sheep of the family,’ then you gotta be bad, you know. ‘White sheep,’ you’re okay. You know?” Price said.

Price said people should watch their words when it comes to stereotypes.

“I think people should always be careful. You know, I’m okay if I’m ‘bartering’ with you. … But if I try to ‘Jew you down,’ Oooooh. Is that racist? I thought it meant the same thing? No, maybe it doesn’t.”

Okay, last line is first. “Jew you down?” What does that mean? If anyone can help me out there, let me know. I’ve never hear that term before. It is clearly a racist term, but what does it mean?

Now to the top. Angel food cake versus devil’s food cake. According to Price, calling a dark chocolate cake, that is rich and yummy, is racist because it is considered “black,” while an angel food cake, which is light, airy, and bland, is also racist as it is “white.” Say what?! Being the “black sheep of the family” is also racist because of the term black and he thinks that to be such is racist? And how about using “white sheep” instead? Now that is racist.

My understanding of the term “black sheep” is that it is someone who breaks with family tradition, like pursuing a career in law when the family tradition is to pursue a career in the sport of fencing (gold star to anyone who can figure out who I am referring to here). VMF-214, the Black Sheep Squadron of World War 2, got their name because they were bad, but not bad as in “naughty” or bad aviators. They were some of the best pilots in the Corps and proved it time and again in combat. They were bad for the enemy. Which is a good thing.

To take Price further, in his worldview is it racist to say that things are as different as night and day because night is “black as night”; scary, dangerous, because many violent crimes, especially muggings, take place at night?

Price is either ignorant of the use of various analogies, a race baiter, or a racist. There are not any choices beyond that.

Tags:

Dallas Price Mayfield Racism Black Hole

Tags: Civil Liberties, Current Events