THE ENTERPRISE
While the economy is relatively healthy, let's take a moment to gain some perspective on why, and then examine a case where our a part of our country is focused on the wrong thnings. It is a relatively special case but one that is symptomatic of a larger problem.
--Housing is carrying the economic recovery
The US housing boom continues to fuel the country's recovery. Since 2001, 2 of every 5 jobs created in the US hve been somehow related to housing, and many of them are "more immune" to import competition. Building materials are mostly home "grown" and produced--plywood, particle board, bricks, concrete, wall board, roof shingles, etc. So are the "big pieces" that go into a house: carpet/floor coverings, major appliances, kitchen cabinets/counter tops and HVAC equipment. Then there are the transactions--real estate commissions, builders fees, labor in framing and finishing, mortgage financing, etc. Let's hope the housing bubble doesn't burst--or even deflate rapidly. A lot of the new jobs in our economy are riding on it.
--Political Correctness gone crazy--"NCAA Bans Indian names for college teams"
CNN's Robert Novak was asked off the air after using a "profanity" (Bull----) that wouldn't even raise an eyebrow on a Chris Rock comedy routine on a different cable channel. Sure, it was poor "decorum", but what's a conservative Republican doing even appearing on the Democratic News Channel? Of course he'll be attacked at every turn. BUT--this isn't the issue I'm upset about.
I just watched Stephen Spielberg's mini-series INTO THE WEST. It was kind of choppy from episode to episode as families moved through generations with different actors portraying the same people. But the story was relatively authentic, and the imagery and cinematography (especially in High Definition) was spectacular. The series portrayed the march West of the settlers--the "white men" --and ultimately of the telegraph and transcontinental railroad.
INTO THE WEST documents with (sometimes too) graphic images the brutalities inflicted on the American Indians (whoops, that's not PC--Native Americans) by the US Army.. There is no doubt that the massacres of men, women and children at places like Wounded Knee were inexcusable then and look even more so now when they are graphically reenacted . You found yourself pulling for the Indians against the arrogantly cruel and cowardly Gen. George Custer.
--Massive mistreatment
The US government, used the Army as a "blunt instrument," pushed the Native Americans all over the American West,out of their native lands and into newer, inhospitable lands; settlers mindlessly killed the giant herds of buffalo that were an essential part of the Indians' ecosystem; the US government leaders of the time made and then broke one "treaty" or peace agreement after another and finally, tried to Americanize a few of the Indians in hopes of infiltrating the remaining tribes. Nothing worked but gross brutality.
The atrocities against Native Americans were ghastly--of that there is no doubt. The reservations on which they live now are like horizontal tenements, and the government's guilt over past misdeeds is being paid off with welfare... and Casino licenses. Nothing can turn back the clock or undo the misdeeds of another generation of people whose lives, motives and circumstances are not even comprehensible to those of us living in our comfortable modern era--and especially not to the Politically Correct bureaucrats. This leads us to another "politically correct" misdeed--by the NCAA.
--NCAA--A candidate for a class-action suit?
The NCAA should be a candidate for an anti-trust suit already for its actions in restraint of trade, and for its heavy-handed enforcement of a Byzantine set of regulations over college athletics. Its latest vendetta is to to purge the remaining Indian--whoops, Native American--names from college sports teams. The stated fear is that such names now (after years of use) insult the poor, oppressed native Americans. It matters little that the tribes like the Seminoles, Indians with a heritage in what is now the state of Florida, (and others, too) have proudly endorsed the use of their tribal name(s) as a tribute to tribal history-- by Florida State University.
But the NCAA knows best....and even when it doesn't--it controls the purse strings by being able to ban participation in lucrative NCAA (TV) events if member schools do not comply with its mandates. Well, in the now famous words of Bob Novak, "that's just BULL----!"
--The Apathetic American
When will the apathetic American majority ever rise up and overthrow the growing number of power plays by narrow special interests and power-drunk organizations? Some day, this majority, an apathetic group of under-informed or misinformed Americans might get smart. They might tire of having their rights taken away by small but vocal minorities, politically correct special interest groups, and dictatorial agencies( like the NCAA). When they do--if they ever do--then America will go back to being the democracy our forefathers envisioned.
Until then rampant Political Correctness, the noisiest special interest groups and organizations like the NCAA will rule the roost. These groups are the ones with bleeding hearts over GITMO and the treatment of terrorists and murderers. (For those who like fiction, read Vince Flynn's novel MEMORIAL DAY. His main protagonist, Mitch Rapp has the right idea!)
If we want to worry about "Indians," we might consider worrying about the ones from India. Indian immigrants (mostly legal I assume) have the highest per capital earnings of any immigrant group. The ones who are still back there in India told Tom Friedman ("It's A Flat World") how they plan to "eat our lunch." Now those "Indians" might represent a legitimate, competitive threat to our comfortable way of life. Not a threat like having a college team being named wrong. Hey, NCAA --aren't there more important issues than changing logos on stadiums and athletic uniforms for our colleges to spend time and money on--like education? I think so.
Best, John
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