Photo borrowed from
http://yamule.com/piper-spike-lee-joint-hat/
Faces Of A Racist
There's no doubt, in my opinion, that Spike Lee has lived the American dream and made his millions of dollars by being a serial racist. He has demonstrated this time and again through his movies, interviews, and media comments.
Now Spike Lee has spiked himself in the butt with his Tweet about the Trayvon Martin killing in Florida. Why any rational person wants, or even has time to "tweet" anything is beyond my working class comprehension. But Lee, in his tweeting, bleeping, effort to self-promote posted the address of the accused shooter of Martin, William Zimmerman.
Just one small problem: It was the wrong address.
As told in the Associated Press story today, Lee had the wrong William Zimmerman. The result was that an elderly couple's lives were seriously disrupted by this twittering twerp's tweet.
Yes, Spike Lee, who titled one of his films "Do The Right Thing" did the WRONG thing. According to the AP story, Lee called the couple, apologized, and they reached some sort of "settlement" over the matter.
Ok. So he did the right thing. But too late. A larger question about vigilantism in general, and by Spike "twittering twerp" Lee in particular, is raised by his action.
The question raised is about racism. Where, when, why, and by whom do we accept comments that encourage vigilantism, especially when the flames of racism are being fanned throughout the country? Even President Obama felt the need to publicly comment on this case. Why? For election year traction? Where are the president's and Lee's comments and anger about the thousands of other killings involving whites on blacks, blacks on whites, blacks on blacks, or any other ethnic group on anyone throughout the year?
To all of them, I would not so politely suggest that they shut their pie holes! And as for Spike Lee, well, he can go spike himself.
Rick Baker
March 30, 2012
Rochester, NY
© 2012 R. Burnett Baker
