Think twice, three times before...

So Roseanne went and got herself fired and her show jettisoned from the ABC network. I find it hard to celebrate this. First off, I didn't watch the show's revival. I could not in good conscience watch her knowing she supports the Donald.

Don't get me wrong. I think ABC's decision to cancel her was imminently correct, no questions asked.

What makes me sad is that a woman (or a man, for the matter) of her talent, her influence, and standing in the entertainment community (or any community) could be so racist, so unfunny, and so wrong!

It is hard to celebrate a racist. It is, however, not hard to celebrate punishing someone for crossing the line as she clearly did.

Canceled she is. Of course, she will apologize (I'm sure she already has... and saying "it was just a joke" does not cut it), but as many have pointed out today, freedom of speech does not, cannot, shield one from freedom of consequences. *

I dislike teaching lessons such as this. A lot of talented people are going to lose her job because of her mouth. I'm reminded that when one is angry and one wants to fire off an email, that it is best to write it, set it aside an hour or two. If, after that time, the message is still appropriate it may be okay to send it.

Maybe people who reside on the twitternet should follow this maxim as well... and that goes for certain politicians too.

* yes, I am fully aware my stance on fines being levied against sports figures who kneel during the national anthem can be construed similarly. There is, of course, a huge difference. That discussion is best left for another day.

A missed opportunity

I am sad tonight. A few weeks back I accidentally found a five year old message from a childhood friend's brother. How I missed it all this time, I do not know! Anyhow I replied and waited for a response that never came. I looked at his photos and picked out a few that I assumed would be his son or nephew.

He replied and told me that he was, in fact, Dewayne's nephew. He told me his uncle died two years ago. He then told me his Dad Darryl had died a year prior to that. We talked for more than an hour and when we concluded, he gave me David's phone number.

During those early years, David, Darryl, Dennis, and Dewayne (and their older sister Judy) was a second family to me. David's Dad was an avid bowler and took us many a-time to the lanes in Logansport.

Last week I called David and was unable to connect with him and I passed along my phone number to his nephew and asked he tell David to call me.

Some history here. David Moss and I were the best of friends from the fourth through the ninth grade at Caston Educational Center just outside of Fulton, Indiana. We met in school and were fast friends. We shared a love for comic books, science fiction, Star Trek, humor, music, and especially The Archies!

During our summer vacations from school we found ways to goof off. We worked for some local farmers bailing hay. And we found ways to share our love for rock music, always our constant! And ohmigawd, the "trouble" we got into in study hall!

I've never forgotten the comic skits we wrote for our 8th grade English class. Sadly, when I was in the 9th grade (in 1971) my family moved away and we lost touch with one another. I reinitiated contact with David in 1975 not too long before I got married... and then again, David fell off the radar and I never saw him again.

Ever since joining Facebook back in late 2008, I would search the names to see if David "was here." I never found him. His nephew told me David was never interested in it.

Tonight, Dan informed me that David had been found dead earlier this evening. No details at this point. 

I'm terribly sad as I was really looking forward to reconnecting with him. David, wherever you are, I salute our friendship and will remember you well.