Keith’s behavior was hopeless on so many accounts:

Ethics and professional conduct: Keith’s choice and act was ethical misconduct worthy of firing even if there were no racist bits thrown in; threatening your employs with death is never a “joke” any sane boss would play. He clearly wasn’t up to the job.

Competence: it was Keith’s job to know current events well enough to know such things as what a noose is currently used to convey. If he didn’t, as he claims he didn’t, he’s incompetent for the job.

That’s two reasons already why he’s unfit for the position without even getting to racism on his part.

Keith’s choice and act was racist: He had clear warning at least twice over that there was a problem with what he was choosing to do. He didn’t give enough of a damn to stop and listen and figure out what was wrong with what he was doing. Choosing not to listen and learn isn’t something that happens to you through no volition of you’re own; it’s something you choose to do.

So again, for all the “I didn’t know so THERE” wingnuts; yeah, you’re racist, and half-drowning in the arrogance of privilege besides. Quite guarding your own ignorance as though it’s some kind of virtue; it is, in fact, the opposite.

Shorter learnalittleeveryday:

“Being an arrogant privileged asshole means I caaaannn’t heeeeeeeear yoooooooou. And don’t wanna.”

Doesn’t it get awfully boring staring in that mirror all the time?…

Thanks for the tip! I’ll discuss it with my parole officer.

Now, just admit you were wrong, crawl back under that bridge, and let the rest of us carry on a conversation…

I have a low tolerance for racial bigotry, a low tolerance for what passes as the Republican party these days, and a low tolerance for trolling on the blogs where I “live”.

If that makes me sound like a living Godwin’s Law violation, so be it…

The truth is: In the 47-years I’ve spent on this earth, living in these United States, I have never been more disgusted and sicked to be connected with the country of my birth.

You guys can pretend that everything is sweetness and light (”Why, there’s no racism here”, “God made George Bush our president to help us in our time of need”, “Americans do not and would never torture”, “The ones running away are the terrorists, so we shoot them”, etc., etc., etc.) - but, goddamit, I’m going to speak my mind, and call bullshit.

I’ve spent most of my life watching our glacial progress toward building the kind of world most of us were taught the US was already. Most of us learned quickly that we didn’t actually live in that world, and while we love to talk about peace, freedom, and equality, America does very little to actually make those ideas into reality. (And lately has done almost nothing.)

So when some punkass (no offense Marc!) comes onto a blog I read regularly and tries to diminish the importance of the thoughtless actions of some idiot who figured a noose would be a good way to display “a message about making deadlines in late October” to Black editors he worked with - well, yes, I DO TEND TO GET UPSET…