Move over, Stephen and Michael, here comes another celebrity spat. Stephen and Michael, as you may have guessed, are the real prime minister and the wannabe prime minister of this glorious Canada. Their recent verbal sparring at the Calgary Stampede was, well, interesting, if not unnecessary.
However, the new act in town, so-called, is Jesse and Dan. Who, you might ask? Well, the Jesse is the most holy reverend Jesse "I-have-an-opinion-on-everything" Jackson and the Dan is Dan Gilbert, the bitter and jilted owner of the LaBron-less Cleveland Cavaliers.
Just to cue things up: Mr. Gilbert wrote a scathing open letter to the Cleveland Cavaliers' fans on the team's web page a week or so ago, once King LeBron James "heard the call" to move to Miami to play for the Heat. Gilbert's outrage included feelings of betrayal, disgust, and disappointment that LaBron would leave Cleveland for Miami, after seven years of fruitless effort in getting an NBA championship.
Personally, I would leave Cleveland after seven days of fruitless effort in a getting a safe holiday.
Enter Dr. Jackson. He is the omnipresent commentator on every social, political, and moral ill that plagues America – or at least seems to, in his opinion. He shoots his mouth off at every conceivable issue, through every conceivable medium. Everything in his mind boils down to race issues. You might say that he sees everything in black and white. The case in point: He takes exception to what Mr. Gilbert wrote (and many others do), then goes on to compare Gilbert to a slave owner and James to a runaway slave who has gained his freedom.
I take great exception, not to Gilbert but to Jackson, for the following reasons:
1. James is no runaway slave. A runaway, possibly; a slave, no way. Just check his bank account for the past seven years, then look into his most-recently signed contract with the Miami Heat. If my people were slaves on a plantation a few generations ago, I would be absolutely outraged.
2. Jackson is no Bible preacher. I don't care what letters are in front of his name, after his name, or what mainline religious club he is allegedly linked with. Any man associated with the Gospel should preach the Gospel and leave the gossip-mongering and grandstanding to others. That's what God created politicians and team owners for.
3. Race is no issue here. It is completely naive to think that every time there is a rape, a robbery, or a riot, it is race-related. That's why I cringe each time I read some account and skin colour comes up. To be sure, while we have our own race issues here in Canada, but we don't generally reduce crime to the colour of one's skin. I suggest crime is a character issue, not a skin issue.
I have a few tips for the Dr. Mr. Jesse Jackson. He probably won't listen to me, but I'll give him some gentle suggestions anyway.
1. Don't feel obligated to express your opinion every time you feel the urge. You have limited and diminishing credibility. As someone once said: The more mud you throw, the more ground you lose.
2. You make me cringe when you somehow lump relation and race together, especially with your own spin. There has never been a greater bondage-breaker for the under-trodden than the true freedom that true Biblical religion brings; study the history of negro spirituals (a music genre, Horace, not a racial slur) from 150 years ago and see what I mean. It's not the tripe you're dishing out. Get back to the Book, Jesse, get back to the Book.
3. And finally (see, I know when to stop, Jesse), if that poor, downtrodden "slave" boy of yours ever needs a spokesmen, perhaps you should think of applying for a job. You seem more suited for the soapbox than the pulpit.
Just leave the playing of games to the athletes.
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