Duke Boys, Imus, Race, Political Correctness, and on and on and on...

I've been busy as of late, thus spoiling any chance I have had to sit down and drum on the old keyboard. Fortunately, the old mind hasn't been cluttered with any that necessarily had to be put down in writing. But I have read a lot over the last few days on the Imus debacle, the Duke Lacrosse Case, and the always volatile discussion of the climate of race relations in America. Nothing I have to say hasn't alread been said; thus, I offer links to a number of articles that best represent brilliant writing and thinking about the topics at hand.

1. In my admittedly hyper-critical opinion, this article says almost everything that can be (and needs to be) said about the Imus Incident. It is one of those pieces that I wish I had written - thoughtful, challenging, astute, and impressively comprehensive.

2. Cultural critic Dick Meyer steps back from the madness in this article, and considers the American (perhaps human?!?) problem of American schadenfreude.

3. And, finally, ladies and gentlemen, may I present the always entertaining Kinky Friedman, whose irreverent defense of Imus might not be spot-on, but nevertheless provides a great read. Is there anything better than spitfire Texan prose? Besides, the title alone makes it worth reading: "Coward's Kick Away Another Piece of America's Soul." I suspect Kinky titled his own piece, but if not, some headline writer at the Post deserves a raise.