Racial Harmony Through Free Stuff

Above Average Jane directs me to something I missed in the December issue of Philadelphia magazine.

Weeks before Election Day, Local 98 boss John Dougherty sent a message to union members, 80 percent of whom are white: Don’t let Obama’s skin color impede your vote. Even more intriguing than his plea to bridge the racial divide was how it was delivered — J. Doc mailed 5,000 one-time-use MP3 players loaded with his pro-Obama stump speech, plus words from building trades manager Pat Gillespie, Rep. Pat Murphy and Senator Bob Casey. Operation MP3 ran a cool $90,000 — but Dougherty says it was worth it: “Everybody loved it. I even saw one on Craigslist for $150.”

What I really like is that Johnny Doc sounds like he was pretty stoked when he saw one of those MP3 players on eBay. (Also: One-time-use? Is that even possible? I guess so, but you think it’d be a cooler gift if it were an iPod Shuffle.)

Anyway, It’s good to know we’ve reached a point in society where just a little free MP3 player can turn even the most racist men into diversity-loving Obama voters. Or something like that.

Interesting Note From Dec. Phillymag [Above Average Jane]

Obama Presidency Means We Can Never Watch Old Movies Again

A letter on a crucial, crucial issue in today’s Daily News:

I HOPE CABLE TV and Channel 12 won’t broadcast the old movie “Imitation of Life” during the rest of January or February.

This is a special time for African-Americans, and we don’t need to be confronted with that movie. If anybody broadcasts this movie, I’ll consider it inappropriate and will make every effort to have their broadcasting license revoked.

I’m aware that the fans of “Imitation of Life” will have a “75/50″ celebration this year – the 75th anniversary of the Claudette Colbert original and the 50th anniversary of the Lana Turner remake. If you want to celebrate a 75/50, I suggest you celebrate the upcoming 75th birthday of Shirley MacLaine and the 50th anniversary of “Ask Any Girl,” one of Shirley’s first hits.

(Lady readers: I’m familiar with “Ask Any Girl,” and it is a blizzard of pumps. Yes, I know what pumps are.)

Tim Short, Bryn Mawr

Ahh, yes, the ever-popular 75/50 celebration that people can’t just get enough of! I do like that Mr. Short is going to make every effort to take away the broadcast licenses of the local PBS station and several cable channels, despite the lack of broadcasting license for him to be able to have revoked for the cable networks. But, hey, watch out WHYY and NJN!

A bit of explanation: Imitation of Life is a 1934 movie with a 1959 remake. Both films include a light-skinned black character attempting to pass as white. I’ve never seen either, but perhaps the films — like a lot of old movies — include now-offensive racial stereotypes. That’s my best guess.

So… yeah, I still have no idea. But I hope Mr. Short will also criticize any parents who show their children Dumbo next month, and I really don’t think he’s going to let any Film 101 class show Birth of a Nation.

Letters: An inappropriate moment for ‘Imitation of Life’ [Daily News]

Bush: A Busy President

We’re only one day into the Barack Obama presidency, and it’s turning even the blackest hearts to lush, read ones. (Is this how it works? Maybe the small heart gets bigger, like with the Grinch.) Even the posters on Domelights, a notoriously whiny bunch, have been pretty upbeat about the inauguration. There’s still plenty of sniping at each other — one poster calls another an “idiotic coward” — but not too much toward Obama, and nothing too stupid. (This is subject to change.)

But I did come across this new, great argument:

Man, Bush has dealt with more than the last three President’s combined! Two wars, Hurricane Katrina, Terrorism, the Economy! Hopefully no other President has to deal with as much as him, he had no breaks! So, with everything he dealt with he didn’t do too bad of a job in my point of view!

Don’t know if this is a joke, but I’m really hoping it’s not.

Obama, America-Lover

Barack Obama got his big ol’ Official Presidential Portrait taken the other day; he looks nice and presidential but is, unfortunately, wearing an American flag pin. And here I voted for him because I thought he hated America! Ohh, Obama, we had such high hopes for you and you went and blew them.

But, really, all those things you said during the election about change… that didn’t mean you wanted to destroy America? Damn, consider me fooled. Guess I’ll just chalk this up to you getting me this time, Mr. President!

Note to bootleg Obama t-shirt makers: Here’s a huge version from Wikipedia. (I believe this since it’s a government-produced work, it’s public domain, too.) Now go make some more awesome shirts.

[Official Presidential Portrait via Wonkette]

President Obama To Buy Our Love For $500

Hey, guy in graphic on this CNN story, why the long face? Haven’t you heard Barack Obama is going to give us all a $500 tax credit! Why, I’ll be able to buy a new Nissan Hyundai or whatever with it, and then when I lose my job, I can return it! (This is really a promotion. I saw it on the teevee during the Eagles game yesterday.)

Obama would offer a tax cut equal to $500 a year for individuals and $1,000 for couples. The credit would work essentially as a payroll tax credit, meaning the money could be delivered fairly quickly. Companies could simply reduce the tax they withhold from employees’ paychecks.

The tax credit is likely to be offered only to those below a certain income level, but the Obama team hasn’t specified where the cut-off point would be. The credit also would be refundable, meaning that even tax filers without any tax liability — typically very low-income workers — would receive one.

Hooray! A free $500 to spend on bills or Nintendo Wii games! Thanks, President Obama, I feel better already.

Obama readies push for recovery plan [CNN Money]

One Change Obama Shouldn’t Make

One of the things we noticed while watching Obama’s victory speech Tuesday night was a little pencil-thin mustache. (Above, with helpful arrows in case you don’t know where a mustache is.) Is Barack Obama growing a mo’ for Movember?

There’s nothing wrong with a mustache in theory, but if Obama’s thinking of growing a Kevin Ollie-like ’stache so he can look like a Spaniard, I’m going to have to put my foot down. (Or maybe it’d be more like a Ludacris-style mustache? I’m not that familiar with African-American facial hair and I don’t know any experts to ask. Feel free to chime in.)

Anyway, if Obama wants to grow some facial hair, he can simply grow one of those awesome-looking chinstrap beards. Can some little girl write him and suggest that?