On NPR yesterday--Where Should Obama attend church?

I posted this on my Facebook yesterday.

I finished the NPR roundtable discussion almost three hours ago. I used to host my own weekly two hour radio show on XM so any radio interviews and discussions less than 30 minutes long makes me feel like I'm just clearing my throat.

I will listen to today's audio archive later. There have been some times after I've been on the radio that people will ask, "What did you talk about," and I'll answer..."I'm not sure...I need to listen to the archive. Based on my notes, I didn't take any."

But I actually took some notes today. The first topic we discussed was the controversy over where Obama will attend church.

My response then was probably what it is now. "I DON'T CARE!" He could set up his own cult or not go to church and I would not care in the least. I am amazed how interested people are in where he sends his kids to school, what kind of puppy he will get for his kids, whether or not his fist-bump is socialist, what kind of chores his kids will do in the White House.

Has Obama announced yet what will be the official White House toilet paper?

Because people will be watching closely after the controversy over his minister for the past two decades, he apparently has to make a choice that won't scare people but also won't indicate to black people that he is turning his back on the black church.

I recommended that he might want to say that as a multi-racial man that he will also attend multiple churches. I thought to mention (and may have, I don't recall now) that he should attend churches in all 50 states as part of his 2012 campaign strategy. I'm sure I did mention that Frederick Douglass went through a controversy back in his day when, after his first wife died, he married a white woman. As Douglass said in addressing his white AND black critics: The race of my first wife was that of my mother. The race of my second wife is that of my father.

So Obama could alternate churches based on race. (Yawn!)
http://itn.co.uk/news/bbe7fefa78ba41b45ba18a69c4414713.html

* * *

I'm sure I did mention that I have two 1990 newspapers with Obama in them that I will be putting on eBay. Stay tuned!

* * *

The next topic was about McDonald's commercials that some consider to be demeaning to black people. I think the host asked me what is wrong with the commercials, and I'm pretty sure I said, "I. Don't. Know." I think the last three times I've been on NPR that there has been a controversy about a commercial.

I'm not sure why anyone thinks McDonald's would want to upset its audience. I do recall saying, "If you are offended by this commercial then you are not the target audience."

For some reason, there are some people who think that every commercial is intended to reach them. FYI: "You ain't all that."

http://www.stereohyped.com/mcnuggets-love-a-mcshame-20081126/

* * *

The next topic was about presidential pardons. Because of time constraints I was the only one who got a chance to sound off on this topic. President Bush pardoned an inmate who was convicted on a drug crime. I mentioned first that our current president (Bush, not Obama) could have freed up a lot of bed space in prisons by pardoning more non-violent offenders. My next point was in response to the people who have gotten upset about the pardoned inmate having special access to the president.

Well, no kidding! That's how presidential pardons happen. The president doesn't just randomly choose an inmate's number and free her. It happens after a lot of lobbying by people who know a particular inmate.

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/11/25/rapperproducer-john-forte-pardoned-by-george-w-bush/

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Overall, I liked today's roundtable. It is easy because I don't have to get prepared for these. No real research or deep analysis is required.

The substitute host was concerned about mispronouncing my name. It happens so often on radio shows that I don't get upset about that, I'm just happy they don't cut off my microphone. A few years ago when Walter E. Williams interviewed me on the Rush Limbaugh Show, Professor Williams was getting so creative in the way he was pronouncing my name that during a break, one of the producers asked me, "How do you pronounce your last name?"

Unfortunately, I learned today that the show is not on in the DC-Maryland-Virginia market. A few local people were going to tune in but apparently a popular local host (Kojo) is on at that time. But I got a note from one of my elementary school teachers in Texas that she heard me. She may regret she didn't intervene with me when I was younger...

Or she may just be happy that I'm not in prison hoping for a presidential pardon...

CJL

NPR's Tony Cox talks with Jim Collier of Acting White ; Carmen Van Kerckhove of Racialicious; and Casey Lartigue of The Casey Lartigue Show!

Rich talking back

The rich are talked about very often in negative terms, but how often do the rich respond in kind? Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart, who inherited most of her money but apparently has also done very well with it, recently railed against class warfare and had some advice for the non-rich : "There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire," she writes. "If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working." She complained about politicians raising taxes, regulations that slow investment, and other anti-business policies that harm the poor. "If you want to help the poor and our next generation, make investment, reinvenstment and businesses welcome."

Common Sense on North Korea (Korea Times, April 2, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. As interesting as Kookmin University professor Andrei Lankov’s writings are, there is nothing quite like attending one of his lectures. He can barely restrain himself behind the podium, often pointing and waving his arms. I also enjoy his unscripted speeches, but his answers in Q&A sessions are like the difference between watching Michael Jordan shoot baskets in warm-ups and an actual game. I have finally discovered the secret behind Lankov’s consistently solid analysis about North Korea: Use common sense. At an Asan Institute conference last summer, he argued that North Korea watchers should try to understand North Korea from its perspective. Don’t most people know that you must understand the mindset of others you are dealing with? Yet, common sense in theory gets ignored politically. From the North Korean perspective, nuclear weapons are the best thing they’ve got going. They will NOT give them up easily, even if President Obama ...

Random photos from today

I went walking around today. Whereas some people like to go walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking around in the city. Well, not D.C. or other cities with many homeless, crazy and/or armed people walking around... * * * Here's where I had lunch today. About $1.90 for a hamburger hamberger. * * * Ha-ha! Bet you never would have guessed that Batman is a drinking place in Korea! * * * Man Clinic? The Koreans walking by seemed to be very curious about why I was taking a photo of a "Man Clinic." They may know something I don't know...Actually, I wasn't curious enough to go in and find out what it was... * * * Right down the street from the Man Clinic...there's a Love Shop! I love the euphemism. "Love Shop" sounds much better than Sex Shop. I'm guessing that if you don't go to the "Love Shop" to buy condoms that you may need to visit the Man Clinic a short time later? * * * Nobo...

To be a good volunteer, use your brain (Korea Times, December 5, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. There is probably an unwritten rule that a celebrity offering to do volunteer work for a good cause should immediately be embraced. Well, that’s not what happened to Jeong So-dam, the glamorous Korean cable TV announcer when our paths crossed on Nov. 29. Ms. Jeong was the MC of an event about American political philosophy hosted by the Association for Economic Evolution. During my speech about American libertarianism since 1940, I discussed my volunteer work for North Korean refugees. After the speech, Jeong approached me, asking how she could help. I gave her the same tough love I give to potential volunteers by asking: “Who are you?” After all, if you are Bill Gates, then open your wallet. If you speak four languages, then help with translation work. So I first stress to potential volunteers: Use your brain. Tell us about your skills and interests so together we can figure out your initial role. Jeong was good-natured about it, rather than c...

Why I won't go to North Korea (Korea Times, December 27, 2012)

By Casey Lartigue, Jr. “Have you ever been to North Korea?” This is the question I am almost always asked here in South Korea when people learn that I have become an activist for North Korean escapees. My response is curt: “No.” “Do you plan on going?” they ask next. My answer remains the same: “No.” When they start to ask a follow-up question, I cut them off: "No." People are often just trying to make conversation, I know, but I am blunt for a reason: I am not interested in going to North Korea as long as North Koreans are held captive. I could go one day, but for now, I can do without a government-guided tour by " men-stealers and women-whippers ," to borrow a phrase from American abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. I don’t mean to criticize people who have gone to North Korea for political, educational, business, religious reasons or just plain curiosity. However, some people push me on the issue, ― and I push back. A good friend wh...

The Casey Lartigue Show!

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