O Say Can You Think?

Some friends have asked if I was going to write anything on all the "hate mail" that got sent about the Coke ad with "America the Beautiful" sung in different languages.

I thought a bit, and my response was, "Nah, not really."

Obviously I'm writing something.  But not the sort of thing they were asking about.  It's just that sometimes, your head hurts too much when you think about such things.  Some hate matters and must be responded to, but some hate merely corrodes the core of those spewing it.  And I don't need or want that in my life.  Also, there's nothing I could say that most sensible people don't already think -- I mean, seriously, there's little nuance here.  When people write Hate Tweets about children from different cultures and around the world singing in their own languages about how beautiful and glorious America is, indeed some even suggesting that such singers are terrorists, what subtleties is one supposed to bring to the table? 

For that matter, I learned long ago that when someone's mind is tiny and closed, there's pretty much nothing you can say that will convince it otherwise.  You don't debate such people.  And you don't make a case why such a thing is "wrong," because that only serves to validate the thought.  It's a waste of writing, and I make enough typos about things I want to say.

You know what it's like?  When some drunk runs out on the field during a game, and the camera follows him, and the announcer goes on and on about how horrible and stupid and obnoxious that drunk is.  Well...yes, that guy is drunk and horrible and stupid and obnoxious -- so, then don't show him on TV and talk on and on about him!  It only encourages the next drunk to try to get on television.

In the end, if I had to say something, it would be that I'm sorry that some people are so stupid and racist.  But at least knowing that lets the rest of the world protect themselves.  That's why God created invisible force shields.