Recognizing Incompetence Is Not Racism

Action: obama is criticized.

Reaction: the race card is played.

Today's totally bogus and irrelevant, yet totally predictable, claim of racism comes from John Coombs, president of an organization of black firefighters in NYC. Seems a picture of obama was overlaid with the word "Hustler" (image below and story from here).

A Bronx firehouse is feeling the heat after officials discovered an image of President Obama was painted on a toolbox - and then defaced with the word "hustler."

An iconic picture of the President above the word "BELIEVE" appears to have been stenciled on a large toolbox visible inside Engine 45, Ladder 58 in East Tremont.

Right across Obama's face is the word "HUSTLER" in big red letters.

...

The president of the Vulcan Society, the organization of black firefighters, said he was disappointed that the image was on display.

But he said he was not surprised.

"Racism is alive and well in America, and the Fire Department is evidence of that," John Coombs said.

I guess by now I shouldn't be surprised by nonsense like this, but my mind still boggles whenever people confuse recognizing incompetence with racism. obama is the worst president in my memory, which extends all the way back to JFK (actually, I remember Ike, but I was too young then to be politically aware). He's quite possibly the worst president ever. It's coincidental that he's black, or half-black, or cafe au lait, or whatever.

But to Coombs and his ilk, any criticism of the chosen one is racially motivated. obama could have sex with a seven-year-old on national TV, and those who see things only in terms of black and white would cry "Racist!" at anyone who said it was wrong. They would do well to recall the story of the boy who cried wolf. Repeated playing of the race card only desensitizes many to legitimate instances where race is a factor - like the underrepresentation of blacks in NASCAR or the NHL...