I posted briefly on the NYT's lying journalist before and I didn't notice that the fellow was (I suppose he still is) black. Had I caught that, I might have been moved to wonder about the ways in which this would become part of the story. This piece in (or is it "on") AlterNet does talk about that. Tell me, people in the US: is a big deal being made of his race?

I can well imagine that the answer to my question is a big ole "yes", and I thoroughly agree with one of the things the Alternet article argues: when a black person does something for good or ill (although especially for ill), all black people are indirectly held to account for it by US white culture. The obverse is not (and never has been) true. That's precisely the sort of thing that makes Michael Moore's book "Stupid White Men" so clever: he points that out with a huge giant foamy sportsfan finger.

On a related note: those of you who have never had any real experience of being a member of a minority should get some. It opens your eyes, in a tiny way, to what people who are born into a minority deal with all the time.

On an unrelated note: Shelley has been offered a (seemingly quite good) job. Scott has made reservations on her tastefully tailored coattails. Congratulate them, even if they choose, for some reason, to decline the offer.