Jon Stewart rips on Spike Lee for "Doing The Wrong Thing".
I've been verbally attacked over the last few days over my thoughts on TMM (Trayvon Martin Mania), but I take it in stride. People have gotten so emotional of their support for Trayvon Martin, they are either tuning out or attacking anyone who doesn't share their views. There are three subject that I know of that can make people act irrational with anger.
1. Politics
2. Race
3. Religion
Right now we are clearly on number two. When people think irrational, they will act irrational, and normally positive outcomes don't come from it. Take Spike Lee for instance. Spike Lee is known for his black racial activism as well as being a film director. One of his most noted films is entitled "Do The Right Thing". Well Spike did the wrong thing last week by re-tweeting what he believed was the address of George Zimmerman. That was wrong of him to do, but what made his actions even worse was that "he re-tweeted the WRONG ADDRESS". Spike did what he did knowing that people who follows his tweets may act on what he said and try to do something against Zimmerman. Well, "no good deed goes unpunished" I guess. The address Spike re-tweeted by accident was that of an elderly couple who had nothing to do with or even knew of George Zimmerman. This was a case by Spike Lee of "ready, fire, oops". Since the tweet mishap, Elaine and David McClain have had it ruff thanks to all the crazies threatening them.
Spike and the McClain's have reached a settlement. I'm not sure how the McClain's can get their lives back on track knowing that if they stay at their current home, they will always have to look over their shoulders or cringe every time the phone rings not knowing if it is some Spike Lee/ Martin crazy who still doesn't know that their house isn't that of George Zimmerman's. Anyways, with the settlement, you would think that would be the end of the "Do The Wrong Thing" chapter right? No. Jon Stewart added to it, and I have to give him credit. Jon is a flaming progressive, but he did the right thing in ripping on Spike Lee for what he did.
Stoking the embers of the hate filled hordes to either go the right address or the wrong address is just not cool. It's wishful thinking I know, but maybe others will learn from Spike Lee and try "thinking first then re acting second".