No, it’s nothing the longtime Statesman columnist wrote himself. But here’s a question: faced with an inbox full of stereotypical, racist drivel, what writer worth his salt would decide to publish the epithets instead of sending them to the trash?
Apparently John Kelso.
Kelso’s column today, “Counterpunch to light jabs at Palin: racist responses” hopes to inoculate itself from criticism by calling the quotes he uses “the worst in people,” and ostensibly offering it as a heads-up. Well, sorry John, there’s ample evidence out there of the growing racial animosity directed at Obama as his lead builds. We don’t need any more pathetic examples. Which really leaves no excuse for Kelso – and the Statesman – to put this anonymous drool in print:
“Let’s talk about Obama, and chitlin’ and collard greens in every pot. National barbecue pit. And maybe we could have a watermelon thump and seed spitting contest on the South Lawn.”
Or this remark, sent to Kelso from a one Timothy Shanley, 48:
“Will there be bar b-q and old Cadillacs on milk crates, with the musical stylings of Tupac or 50 Cent keeping the neighbors up? … I would rather have log rolling than blunt rolling on the South Lawn.”
The author himself describes the above as “racist.” There’s absolutely nothing newsworthy about these comments. So why in the world were they published? (One reason that comes to mind: Kelso’s a monumentally lazy writer.)
This article appears in October 3 • 2008.