Who knew being so disrespectful could be so much fun? Episode 2

Today we are graced with another wonderful tale of disrespect, this time in the form of a deliciously racist joke. (For Episode 1 go here.)

Here's the story. Montana Federal Judge Richard Cebull, nominated by Former President George W. Bush, circulated a joke about the paternity of President Barack Obama. The joke reads as follows: "A little boy said to his mother; 'Mommy, how come I'm black and you're white?' His mother replied, 'Don't even go there Barack! From what I can remember about that party, you're lucky you don't bark!'" Judge Cebull acknowledged his poor judgement. "He agreed the email was racist, but said he personally was not." 

I'd like to begin with this: Judge Cebull's statement that he is not personally racist is just plain wrong. In his email, he states that his heart was touched. In fact, he wrote, "Normally I don't send or forward a lot of these, but even by my standards, it was a bit touching. I want all of my friends to feel what I felt when I read this. Hope it touches your heart like it did mine." So his non-racist heart was touched in beautiful ways by a racist joke? Pfft. Yeah - okay. He now gets to join the ranks of people who say bigoted things and then claim they are not bigots because they have "some gay friends," people who say racially offensive things and then say they are not racists because they have "one or two black friends," people who say classist and sexist things and then claim that they didn't really mean what they said or didn't realize that what they said was offensive because they said exactly what they were thinking/believing (whoopsies!). (For another fabulous story of do-nothing, check out Orange County, California GOP Central Committee member Marilyn Davenport's photo of Barack Obama, his mother, and his father as chimpanzees.)

Now for my favorite part: The Excuses! "Federal Judges are people, too!" "Everybody makes mistakes!" "Oh, come on now - that was funny!" "I'm sure he didn't mean any harm!" "Hey if that was said about a white man or an Asian man, there wouldn't be such a hooplah! You can't say everything is racist!"

Too bad none of those excuses fly, even if rubbed vigorously with magic Tinkerbell dust. I bet they wouldn't even get liftoff if they happened to accidentally snort some. (*SNNNIFF* *wipes nose* *shrugs* *giggles* "Oopsies!")

Federal Judges are like clergy - sure, we mere humans may have firmly plunked them atop a pedestal. But we put them up there for a reason. We want them to be better than we are. We want them to judge us and make others accountable for their sins (and the occasional felony). And the kicker is they want to be up on that pedestal. There's only so much heft that we can lift over our heads without the hefty doing their part to huff and puff and scramble up to the cushy seat up there. And so we are rightfully outraged when they disappoint us, when they act "human," when they decide to give in to temptation, and when they decided to astonish us all by making a mistake that we would make.

Now for the "everybody makes mistakes" excuse. Everybody makes mistakes, but unfortunately, Federal Judges are not "everybody." (See previous point for elaboration.) Plus, and I must say this in my disappointed and exasperated Mom voice, they should know better! They are Federal Judges, after all, who have hopefully had years upon years of experience in the courtroom, in the public arena, and in life. Not only did he send the joke via email, he sent it from his official court account. *Finger wag.* You should know better than to leave a trail! Haven't the Conservatives taught you anything?! Tsk tsk.

The joke insults so many in one try. It should get a round of high fives from the douchebag table (and they should each put $20 in the douchebag jar - exact change only, please)! I'm sure I may miss some, but here are the groups that I immediately identified in as being ridiculed in the joke: women, African Americans/blacks, President Barack Obama, President Barack Obama's mother Ms. Stanley Ann Dunham, single mothers, college educated women, Africa, African Americans/Blacks, and those of mixed race/heritage/beliefs. I'd like to not so respectfully disagree with those who proclaim the humor in such a joke. But maybe I'm just too close to the issues or rampantly biased against offending such groups. I personally like jokes that have at least a little bit of truth to them. This joke contains no truths that I can parcel, but maybe if I took a hit of that magic Tinkerbell dust I mentioned before would see the error of my ways and guffaw loudly as I exaggeratedly wipe my nose and take another hit.

The idea that Judge Cebull did not mean any harm is quite amusing. Laughable even. Actually, I'm laughing more at the thought of a harmless Judge Cebull than at the original joke - lovely! Judge Cebull acknowledged that the joke was racist, but he is quick to say that he is not racist in his personal life. If you're not racist, then why did you laugh at the joke? Though I love the song "Everyone's A Little Bit Racist," and I do believe that everybody's a little bit racist (and sexist and classist and such). But the line "don't take them as personal attacks" is actually not applicable because the joke was meant to be a personal attack on President Barack Obama: his name is in the joke, the email was anti-President Obama, and Judge Cebull acknowledged that the joke was about President Barack Obama. There are so many stories of Conservatives, Republicans, and the Religious Right being racist, sexist, classist, and so on. Are Conservatives, Republicans, and the Religious Right really more racist, sexist, classist, and so on, or do they simply get caught more? At first glance, it seems to be the former. They must be so proud ...

And now my favorite excuse: "Just because President Barack Obama is African American doesn't mean that every criticism, joke, and negative comment is racist." (I know, I know, those who would use this excuse would never give President Barack Obama his job title of President, and I know that those who would use this excuse would never acknowledge that President Barack Obama is American - they're more likely to call him "African Arab.") Hey there, friends. NEWSFLASH: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IS AFRICAN AMERICAN!!!!!! Go ahead and gasp. Catch your breath. Have a sip of water. I'll wait. Feel better? No? That's okay. It only gets worse. I completely agree that every criticism of President Barack Obama does not have a racist tone, and thus they cannot all be stamped as racist, bigoted, and the like. Too bad this joke is explicitly racist. You remember the parts in the joke that say "black," "white," and "bark"? I'd be willing to bet a ridiculously delicious cake from Southern Sweets Bakery in Atlanta that the joke wasn't referring to karate belt levels or the outer layer of a tree.

Will Judge Cebull receive any censure, demotion, or other punishment? Probably not. All in all, I am so incredibly tired of and frustrated by public figures making offensive and inflammatory statements and/or actions for which they later apologize saying they meant no harm. They're given a pat on the head and sent back out to the playground where they can gleefully join back in on the game of bullying that got them sent to the principal's office in the first place, comfortable in the knowledge that the only punishment they will receive will be a finger wag and an admonishment to not do it again.

Sigh.