My daughter, Darlene, was born with a skin color that is darker than that of either one of her parents. Her maternal grandfather had dark skin
while her maternal grandmother was (and remains) whiter than the British royal family. So, in the genetic crapshoot, she got her skin color from her grandpa, her dark eyes from her mom and her dark, curly hair from me. I always figured that for someone who was going to live in the American Desert Southwest, she had hit the jackpot.
When my son, Alexander, came along, Mendel did a 180. Pale, pale skin, light brown eyes (my eyes are green) and super-blond hair. He, too, hit the jackpot (if we had ever decided to move to the Alsace-Lorraine).
They grew up as tight a pair of siblings as you’d ever encounter. I assume they recognized their physical differences, but neither we nor they ever really talked about it. The only problem we ever had was when dumb-ass people in public would ask (in front of the kids), “Do they have the same parents?”
My answer generally involved a remark or two about the questioner’s parents.
They are so close that, even as adults, they travel together. Last year, they went to New Zealand and Australia. The year before that, they took a couple weeks to travel through Scandinavia. The sad thing is that if locals had seen them in Copenhagen or Auckland or Sydney, they would’ve said, “Oh look, a couple Americans.”
But here in their own country, America has become a vile garden of calculated bigotry and innate racism, irrigated by the spittle that leaks from Donald Trump’s twisted mouth and tended to by his sycophants on the radio and TV and the internet. If my kids walked down the street in many parts of this country, Trump followers would say, “Oh look, there’s a good American…and he’s walking with an invader.”
A few years ago, something happened to Darlene that we used to joke about in a half-hearted manner. As an Ivy League-educated civil engineer (with, like, 18 sets of initials after her professional name), she was invited to attend the centennial celebration of the completion of the Panama Canal. She had a good time visiting the canal, but when she flew back into the United States (in Houston), ICE put her through 12 kinds of Hell. She was taken out of line and searched. Her luggage was tossed. She was taken into a room and asked all kinds of questions. When it was over, she was offered neither an explanation nor an apology. Alexander said, “Next time, take me with you and that won’t happen.”
That’s not so funny anymore.
What’s also not funny are the words that are coming out of the haters’ mouths these days. They used to be provocative and challenging. Then they because vapid and vile. Now they’re turning deadly. People are dying because the president of the United States is laughing at the suggestion that dark-skinned people who are trying to enter the United States should be shot. It’s not funny; it’s un-American.
And it’s not just him. There are professional talkers who are less self-absorbed and less stupid than Donald Trump who could nudge the discussion back on track without losing their heavy-breathing audience, but they choose not to. For example, every time there’s a mass shooting (or two), the most repugnant man of the face of the Earth, Sean Hannity, screws up his vape-face and whines about how it’s a knee-jerk reaction that Democrats always bring up gun control after a mass shooting. I would like Mr. Hannity to remove his nose from between Donald Trump’s butt cheeks and answer a question for me. When exactly are we supposed to talk about gun control?
It’s simply human nature to think about trying to figure out how we, as a society, got to a point where teenagers can own weapons that will allow them to kill dozens of people in a matter of a couple minutes. Of course, there have been guns and gun violence in the United States for as long as there has been a USA. But 200 years ago, people had blunderbusses that took an hour to load, only fired sometimes, and were deadly only if fired at a range of a couple feet.
The weapons used in these mass shootings have one purpose. They’re not for target practice or hunting. They exist only to kill large numbers of people.
So, Sean, when are we supposed to discuss trying to get rid of them, as democratic Australia did not that long ago and equally democratic New Zealand is in the process of doing? You’d probably prefer that we wait for that day in which there are no gun deaths in America, because that day is never going to come.
It’s no better on the radio. Today, the morning clown echoed Fox TV by claiming that white supremacy is a hoax. Really?! Does that mean that Heather Heyer is still alive? The president and his talkers have gone too far and now people are dying because of it. And the talkers think that they haven’t gone nearly far enough.
It’s scary out here and it’s going to get worse. It almost makes me wish that my daughter’s skin wasn’t so dark.
This article appears in Aug 15-21, 2019.
Would the writers of the Copnstitution have worded the second amendment in the exact same way had they had a glimpse of 21st century America?
I hope this changes, its sad that this is happening especially in America where we are yearning to be an example for all nations but some people use ignorance instead.
God bless us all no matter what happens, color or races should never come up at all, good always wins!! Stop discrimination, hatred, and care about your fellow man, your neighbors!
Thank you, Anna
Trump should be impeached or maded to resign. What’s happening to our people that we elected to allow his agenda to go through? What madness is this?
He acts, talks, trying to implement laws like Hitler, almost a copycat, so we are just going to sit and do nothing? Well that’s what Germany did for Hitler! Got to do something but twiddle our thumbs!
Anna N
Another ignorant and unfocused anti-Trump and anti-gun screed for the masses. What about the Bernie fan that shot up the Republicans at the softball game. Was it all of Bernie’s hate speech that caused it? And the guy in Dayton was an Elizabeth Warren fan. What about all of the mass shootings during the Obama presidency? Was it Obama’s divisive and racist rhetoric? Your argument is full of holes.
Also the British infantry of the Revolutionary era could load a musket in 20 seconds and fire with deadly accuracy at 50-100 yards. At least get your facts straight.
Danehy can’t really believe the lies and nonsense he has printed about Trump, can he?
Time for Danehy to stick a sock in it,
Come on Tom this is now ridiculous. Our son (had a beard) checked in for flight to San Diego without check in luggage and was strip searched because he “fir the mold” of a middle eastern terrorist. Nobody came to his defense. My skin is the darkest in my family and I have been so fairly treated by TPD at all times. Some things are what you try to make them. Stop it.
Funny how many people that claim to hate Danehy manage to read his editorial every week. I say, very well said sir.
One question I have for these people that cry about their guns being taken away. Who? Who is going to take away your guns? Never had anyone tell me who is going to show up at their door and take them away.
Danehy has confused me this week. I can’t decide if he is trying to represent Dumb or Dumber.
Danehy, name a place and time that Trump said or did by Demonizing People with Dark Skin for Political Benefit, funny that you see hundreds of Dark Skin people with signs Latinos for Trump 2020, etc. at every one of his rallies.
Agree with all Tom lays out here. My only question to him, as a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, is when, precisely, is enough, enough? My guess is, when, as Pelosi&Co. seems to believe, they are swept back into power after the next elections. The odds of that magical moment are – at best -50-50.
Meek and mild in the face of an existential threat is not a strategy, it is cowardice and neglect of duty.
Impeach now.
Yeah. Yeah.
Please Donald Trump , will you please continue to demonize people with tan or dark skin. I want you to do it every day so that by the time the elections roll around the Hispanic/Latino and Black voters will hate you and the Republicans so much that you wont get one vote from that demographic and the Republicans, including Moscow Mitch will be given the boot. MItch I heard that Putin was looking for a 1st class Bull–iter ‘as a spokesperson and you would be perfect for that position.
Hey AZ/DC. Guess where I was 50 years ago? Had a good time. What I remember!
Tom Danehy wrote: “They’re not for target practice or hunting. They exist only to kill large numbers of people.”
Just google “AR-15 hunters” and “AR-15 target shooting” then click on images.
So the question becomes is Tom Danehy a liar or stupid?
Actually the question should just really be is Tom Danehy stupid?
We already know that Lying Tom Danehy is a proven liar, so is he also stupid?
CW13!
I’m not exactly sure why you singled me out to inform me of the good times that you do and do not remember at Woodstock. All I can tell you is that it is beyond awesome that you were there and that experience definitely places you in a unique part of history. Cherish it! You should.
Sincerely, DC
I hope you didn’t take offence. I singled you out because I knew you would appreciate it. One thing I’ll never forget was Jimi”s rendition of the National Anthem. To think that 50 years have come and gone since then pretty much blows my mind. For X-mas that year my mom bought me this insane poster. The picture was taken from behind the stage. I think Santana was playing but I’m not sure. The caption said ” nobody who was there will ever be the same again” Boy , if that ain’t the truth. Thanks for allowing me to share and your appreciation of what an incredible event it was. I’m sure I’ll get 50 or more dislikes.
To tctw: just as you can use a butter-knife as a screwdriver, you can use arms that were developed for the express purpose of killing humans to kill other animals, and you can certainly train with them at a gun range. That does not make said weapons appropriate for general use. And frankly, any serious hunter would far prefer a Remington .270 or Weatherby .340 over any AR-15, no matter how nicely modded, anytime, especially for hunting and target shooting.
CW13:
No offence taken. It’s good that we can agree on and be cordial regarding certain things.
Take care. DC
Same here, my friend.
CW 13