This Is "Post-Racial" America?

I'm going to speak briefly about race today. Race is one of those third-rail topics that I usually don't like to discuss, because one is constantly in danger of offending someone. However, the issue has come up a couple of times this week, and in both cases, I think it signals a change in the way we will be dealing with it in the future.

Earlier this week, during his news conference, President Obama downplayed the importance of race as an immediate issue while he tried to grapple with the difficult economy, saying the issues facing the country "affect black, brown and white", and that he will be judged on whether he was a competent president, not merely as a black president.

President Obama is in a difficult situation. He is correct in his assertion that he needs to be the leader for ALL of the people, but he is also clearly riding on the hopes and expectations of a Black America that is counting on him to bring their concerns to the forefront.

Just a day after Mr. Obama's comments, the National Urban League issued a statement calling on the President to close the disparity gap that blacks face in areas including education and prison time. President Marc Morial wrote, "The election of the first black president does not mean we can now all close up shop and go home."

And now an issue of race strikes closer to home, in the District of Columbia, where Mayor Adrian Fenty is proposing to demote "Emancipation Day" - April 16th - from being a paid city holiday to a non-paid holiday. The move would save the city 1.3 million doillars a year in holiday pay - enough to keep 23 full-time city workers employed.

Some members of the city council are up in arms, saying it's important to recognize the day that President Lincoln freed the city's slaves in 1862. Mind you, the holiday itself is only four years old, and there is little evidence to support the notion that anyone is celebrating the day as anything more than an extra day off of work.

Mayor Fenty and President Obama face similar political problems here. Both have faced frequent "litmus test" questions about their own racial identities - questions about whether they are "black enough". Both men have white parents, and both are trying to rise above their racial identities as they lead their broader constituencies. It's almost as if they both need to "have their cake and eat it, too" on the issue of race.

I can't begin to offer input on what the President should do on this topic. Frankly, as long as the economy is sour, he'll have that as a shield to protect him against having to seriously address race or many other issues.

But I do have a piece of advice for Mayor Fenty. Money is tight. Your constituents are probably not too thrilled to see city workers enjoy yet another paid holiday that they themselves don't get to enjoy. If Emancipation Day is so important, choose another paid holiday to be given up in exchange. I would suggest Columbus Day. Christopher Columbus' star has faded in recent years, and there are few longheld links between the city government and Columbus. It almost seems as though the day exists as a holiday in the city because federal workers already have it off.

I know there's been a lot of hope that the election of President Obama will bring us to a "post-racial" America.

Yeah. Good luck with that.

Don't Forget To Air Your Grievances This Festivus!

I Haven't Got Time For The Pain!

Where has December gone? Just in the past few days, I have come to the realization - especially since I'm working through the holidays for the first time in forever - that I don't have time to do everything I need to get done! Therefore, my faithful readers, you may find more video content than written content in the coming days... I hope you will enjoy this little holiday video festival. We open with "The 12 Pains Of Christmas". I normally HATE parodies of the 12 Days of Christmas, but I love this one... And I hope you do, too... HANGOVERS!

Who Has TIME For Christmas???

You would think, given my current, um... abundance of availability... that for once, I'd be able to relax and enjoy the holiday season. Well, it turns out that life has a funny way of filling in idle time quite nicely, thank you, and once again, we in the Matthews household find ourselves spending far more time preparing for the holidays than we'll ever spend enjoying them!

Last week, I spent days climbing ladders and hanging rope lights outside... This week, we'll be rearranging the family room and living room to accomodate Christmas trees, then lugging in boxes from the garage to turn the inside of the house into a red-and-green holiday puke-tacular!

We have an editing problem in our house. Mrs. Matthews is loathe to give anything up from year-to-year. "Taking a break" from something is not in her vocabulary - which means that everything we have put up as decorations in past years must go up again. Every "i" must be dotted, and every "t" must be crossed. This must explain why we "graduated" a few years ago from having one real tree to having a real tree AND a smaller fake tree - to handle the ornament overflow.

Hanukkah is even worse - and more dangerous! Somehow, over the years, we have accumulated a half dozen menorahs, and Robin insists on lighting all of them... By the end of the holiday, we have a crew standing by from the Sandy Spring Fire Department outside - just in case!

I broached the idea last night that perhaps this would be a good year to skip sending out holiday cards... Let's face it - I don't have an abundance of good news to share this year, and we could probably save a bunch in postage... But Robin looked at me like I had blood hemorraging from my ears, so at some point this weekend, we'll force the boys to comb their hair and subject them to the torture of posing for a holiday snapshot, which will then be mailed out with the cards.

I will say that shopping is less of an issue this year. The boys will make out like bandits as usual (it pays to be born to a non-practicing Jew and a non-practicing WASP - you get to celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas), but Robin and I have happily scaled back presents for ourselves, and Robin has helpfully bought a couple of small items for herself that she says I can wrap for her. Usually, I balk at such fakery when it comes to gift-giving, but in lean times like these, it's better to end up with stuff you know your wife will like. No sense in buying stuff that never gets looked at again. There's a foot spa in the garage that is about to celebrate a 10th birthday - and the box has never been opened!

Adding to the time crunch this year is the fact that for the first time in at least 15 years, I will be working straight through the holidays. When you're a freelancer, you work the days that fulltimers want off, which means that during the weeks of Christmas and New Year's, I'll be writing at ABC News and anchoring the news at WMAL. I am thankful for the work, but it will be strange opening presents on Christmas morning dressed for the office instead of lounging in what passes for pajamas in my house!

Still - there is something about the holidays that prompts us - (or is it only me?) to reflect on our lives and realize just how blessed we are. At some point - no doubt after I've worn myself out putting the lights on the tree or after wrapping myriads of presents - I'll sit on the couch and look at the tree, and after noting that some ornament is facing the wrong direction, I'll relax long enough to enjoy the occasion. I'll thank the lord for giving me a beautiful wife and healthy kids. For giving me peace, if not wealth. For giving me friends and food for my table. For bringing peace and harmony to my world.

And I'll bask in the knowledge that I've still got a couple of weeks before I have to start tearing everything down and stuffing it back into the garage!

Happy Holidays!