With the buzz surrounding the verdict on the Isiah Thomas' sexual harrassment case, I suppose it is just about time for our friend Al Sharpton to plant his face on our television screens. What does he want now? An apology for Thomas' apparent permission for use of the word "bitch" between members of the same race.

First of all, there are far worse words that one can use if one has bad feelings about someone. The word itself is rather benign. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the following:
1) a. The female of the dog;
b. The female of the fox, wolf, and occasionally other beasts.
2) a. applied opprobriously to a woman; strictly, a lewd or sensual woman. Not now in decent use but common in literature. In modern use especially a malicious or treacherous woman; of things: something outstandingly difficult or unpleasant ("son of a bitch.");
b. Applied to a man (not common);
c. A primitive form of lamp used in Alaska and Canada.
3) Combinations and attributes, as (sense 1) bitch-puppy, -whelp; (sense 2) bitch-baby, -clout, -daughter, -hunter, -son; bitch-daughter (obs.), the nightmare; bitch-fou a. (Sc.), as drunk and sick as a bitch, `beastly' drunk; bitch-goddess, in William James's phr. (see quot. 1906); cf. success sb. 3.
4) A mining instrument used for unscrewing rods or recovery of broken rods.
verb
1) a. To frequent the company of lewd women;
b. To call anyone "bitch;"
c. To behave bitchily towards.
2) a. To hang back (rare);
b. To spoil, to bungle. Also as "botch;"
c. To grumble, to complain.

Of course, the "lewd or sensual woman" definition is the source of the sexual harassment suit against Isiah. However, my bet is that his use of the word about Ms. Sanders in reality was as a "malicious or treacherous woman."

What does Al Sharpton have to do with any of this? Besides to ride on the coattails of a public spectacle and create more public anger than already exists?

In the late 1980's and 1990's Sharpton's presence was important in bringing justice to Brooklyn gang members who took part in racially-motivated beatings. Sharpton played a critical role in the way hate crimes are viewed and managed in this country. His experience as manager for James Brown gives Sharpton a public marketing angle in trying to raise public awareness. He was instrumental in the 1986 Howard Beach protests when three African-American men were assaulted by a white mob. Sharpton also raised awareness and staged protest in the 1989 Bensonhurst attacks on four African-American teenagers and the subsequent shooting of one of them.

His methods, however, sometimes create more public unrest, anger and violence. It is common for him to accuse his target first in the public eye without having investigated to see if there is validity to his accusation. This type of "trial by press" incites rage and sometimes violence.

Perhaps the most famous of these is the 1987 case of Tawana Brawley, the then 15 year old woman from Wappinger's Falls who fabricated an elaborate racially-motivated abduction and sexual assault. There was glaring evidence that she had not been kidnapped or harmed. In fact, witnesses saw Brawley at parties during the time that she was ostensibly "missing." Under the leadership of Rev. Sharpton, the investigation became a witch hunt against members of the police and local government. Given the nature of the evidence, it is likely Sharpton and his team suspected the abduction was a fake. Yet, they pressed on, harming many innocent people in the process.

The incident did catapult Sharpton's public image and made him the celebrity he is today.

So why does this man now choose largely benign name calling as his rally point for action? Is the use of words like "bitch" and "ho" cause for public demonstration and outrage? Are there so few issues deserving of our attention that we must get riled up over this?

Or is Sharpton merely coasting? He thrives on media attention and seeks it wherever he can find it. But, perhaps our dear Reverend is no longer courageous enough to tackle the larger issues which gave him that celebrity in the first place.

Sad News

Last week I received an email and a phone calll from Tom Shives, my former professor at Mayo who is still a friend and mentor.  "Danny," whose real name is Jared W., had a recurrence of his osteosarcoma a few months ago.  He had to have the leg amputated above the knee.  He underwent more chemotherapy but this time, the cancer did not respond.

Jared  died on July 31, 2007, two weeks after his seventeenth birthday.  He had developed uncontrollable metastatic disease.  This news saddens me more than I can express.

I have spoken with Jared's family and they have indicated that any correspondence or donations to the family can be sent to the attention of Ms. Adeline Smoker, P.O. Box 322, Frazer MT 59225. 

Two nine volt batteries.  For six or more, they cost 64 cents each.  Yet, those two missing batteries created incalculable loss.

Everyone is asleep in that Bronx apartment building when, according to fire officials, a cord to a space heater catches fire and ignites bedclothes.  The residents of that room run into the hallway to alert other residents, but make the fatal mistake of leaving the door open, thus allowing the flames to spread. 

And the smoke detectors:  They sit, stuck to ceilings or walls or wherever smoke detectors stick, waiting.  What they wait for is a battery so that the burgeoning smoke will cause them to sound their alarm.  Sixty four cents.  Five minutes of time for installation.  Ten lives.  Instead of an immediate call to 911, residents try to put out the fire themselves.  One resident calls her husband first.  After the 911 call, it takes firefighters just over three minutes to arrive.

People toss children from windowsinto the arms of neighbors.  Jump themselves.  Fire escapes are not required in buildings of this size.  The only escape route is the blazing mahogany staircase.  Almost 150 firefighters  battle for two hours to get the fire under control.

One man, a taxi driver,  drives his cab when the fire starts.  It kills his entire family; a wife and three small children. 

In a matter of hours, this man's reasons for living are gone.  How does one make sense of this?  A series of human choices and errors which, alone, might not cause such tragedy.  Yet, strung together in this sequence, the consequences are tragic.  

On this scale the impact of choice is magnified.  But what about the small choices we make each day? To drive through the changing traffic light?  To ignore the crack in the windshield?  To leave the teapot on the stove for just one minute? To wait another day to return that phone call?

 Some of us have the luxury of a comfortable life.  We can attend to small things as they come up.  Others are so overwhelmed by the pressure to survive, they cut corners with these "little" things.  But how do any of us know when those minutiae will pile up and cause one great tragedy? 

We don't.  

What can be done is for us to make our days and lives meaningful to ourselves and to others.  We can help people.  We can keep our minds and our eyes open.  This is the only lesson (besides my having checked my smoke detector) I can glean from this awful incident.

If you would like to make a donation to the victims of the Highbridge Bronx fire victims, call 212-222-3882, or visit  AfricanServices.org

These are some of the victims of the Bronx fire.

All photographs are from the NY Times Website and are copyrighted by the New York Times. 

 







On Sunday, November 5, 2006, more than 37,000 runners participated in the ING New York City Marathon. 

And then there were the scores of other athletes who did not "run."  They are the elite and non-elite wheelchair and handcycle participants.  Each year these athletes start the race about an hour before the official start and pass over the NY Marathon course at speeds of up to 26 mph on flat ground. 

Richard Rosenthal, a friend and member of the New York Cycle Club, organizes a group of cyclists to clear the way for these marathoners.

This year I was lucky enough to be one of those cyclists.  What an inspiration to work with this extraordinary group of "disabled" marathoners!

The New York Times wrote a bit about us here.

Congratulations to all of the runners, riders and helpers who make this day so incredible.  There are more of my photographs here.  In this photo:  many of the women volunteers.

click to enlarge Firemen?

So yesterday I met the Stephens for dinner downtown at Gusto.   After having cycled more than 100 miles up and down mountains on Saturday, I was in the mood for some pasta.

As always, we had wonderful conversation, great food (even though Stephen could likely do better himself!) and a little show and tell.  They had just purchased an antique fire hose nozzle at a shop nearby. What they plan to do with this thing, I do not know. 

What I do know is that it weighs a ton and, aside from it's overt, er, symbolism, it's a fascinating piece of equipment.  Steve filled me in on the various settings used to extinguish a fire or to blow down a door.

Then I began to think about fireman and what drives them.  Sure the very first firefighters didn't have fancy hoses and trucks.  But somehow they felt compelled to lay aside personal safety and rush towards things that were on fire. And I'm sure that early firefighters were: 1) less successful at extinguishing fires, and 2) more likely to be injured or killed.

Firefighters don't make a lot of money.  They aren't in search of the limelight either.  These are truly brave, selfless people.  For sure I would not want to be a firefighter.  I'm scared to death of fire, for one.  But wouldn't it be nice if we all could infuse a little of those firefighter qualities into our own lives?

What if the lawyer decided to work for free for his poorest clients instead of turning them away?  What if the world-famous surgeon, who no longer accepts insurance plans, took on patients despite their financial status and considered only their need?  What if the Deli owner gave out water to elderly or homeless people for free during heat waves?

I'm sure we can all think about something we could do so that little kids would want to be like us.  Why not do it?  Just a little.

Namaste.