“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

Honestly, I am the only one outraged about the endless talk about racism these days? Sure, there are the few bloviators expounding on MSNBC and Fox News, so what else is new? But where is the outrage from the people? Where is the backlash? Where are the boycotts? Where are the demonstrations? How have we as a nation become so complacent with everything. As a remnant of the 1970’s, I remember all to well how amazing the energy was when we took to the streets against the war in Vietnam. Or when the women’s movement was in full bloom complete with bra burning. Ahhh, the smell of sizzling tricot. Abortion rights, anti-violence, civil rights, these were hot-button, pressing issues that made us don our tie-died shirts, and run chanting into the streets, peacefully and effectively, I might add. Protesting was sport…even fashionable. Hippy represented something meaningful, whereas now, it’s a reference to a blouse on a runway.

So, what do we get now by way of protests? Not much. Sure, kudos to the thousands of queens in West Hollywood and of course, Drew Barrymoore, who valiantly protested the unconscionable Prop 8 debacle. But really? Where were the real throngs of protesters? Where were the 18,000 now legally sanctioned gay couples? Were they all in attendance? And if we play by the numbers, and 33 million people live in California, then we can safely say that 2 percent are gay. Statistically the number is more like 5%, but I will be conservative here…oy , did I say that? Well, then, where were the hundreds of thousands of gay rights protesters from all over the state? Watching on the news, or the internet? Yikes. Shame on you. Don’t get angry with the Mormons, honey. Look in the mirror. And, while we’re at it, if I were Latin American, I would be furious at the endless badmouthing of Sonia Sotomayor. Yoo hoo. Y’all are the largest growing demographic in this country. The amount of financial harm you could do to some of the businesses that support these loudmouths is astonishing. All you need to do is protest a little, and get some press. What else can I say to gay people and Latinos? Fear not the massive protest. They don’t shoot protesters, do they?

Let me say, in closing, that until I hear what Sotomayor’s position is on abortion, I am reserving judgment. That to me is the deal breaker. And if Barack Obama, in his zeal to be politically correct (barf), has made a selection that could potentially move our country backwards…then all I can say about that is: I mean…what?!?