Why Chris Cuomo should apologize about his Queen Elizabeth / Trayvon Martin mashup.

Y'know, I like Chris Cuomo. He seems like a good guy, he doesn't shy away from asking tough questions, and he has a sense of humor. He is also a child of privilege and a multi-millionaire, of course . . . and purportedly one of the highest paid television news anchors. But privilege and wealth do not preclude moral rectitude and righteousness, no matter what needles have to say to camels.

However . . . 

This morning after I'd checked Morning Joe to see if Mika was home (she wasn't; what the hell?) and checked the local station to see how Louisville was doing, I went to CNN to hear what they had to say. It was pretty much the one story--Russia hacks, Trump denies--but there was a little bit about Queen Elizabeth going out for a walk in the middle of the night and "almost being shot" by a palace guard. Cuomo then quipped something along the lines of, "What I want to know is why she was walking around in a hoodie at 3 a.m., and when the guard tried to talk to her all she'd say was, 'Sup, sup?'" (That's from memory, so possibly not 100% accurate, but it's pretty close.)

I've got to admit that there's a part of me that thinks that that's pretty damned funny, actually. The juxtaposition of the whiter shade of pale nonagenarian monarch with the seventeen year old Trayvon Martin is so ludicrous that it's hard not to laugh.

However . . .

I don't think that #Blacklivesmatter has a sense of humor. And I'm not saying that they should have a sense of humor about things like this. When you are a member of a group that is being preyed upon, there's no reason to be patient with people who use one of your victimized people for humor fodder. I don't think it would be very funny if someone made a joke based on the Standing Rock water protestors being maimed by a concussion grenade. 

So Chris Cuomo should apologize. 

Peace out.

ADDENDUM: I just sent a slightly truncated version of this to Chris Cuomo. (Only truncated for precision and personalization. Here it is if you want to do an integrity check on me:

Short version: Do you think you should apologize for the Trayvon Martin / Queen Elizabeth mashup comment?

Long version:  This morning after I'd checked Morning Joe to see if Mika was home (she wasn't; what the hell?) and checking the local station to see how Louisville was doing, I went to CNN to hear what they had to say. It was pretty much the one story--Russia hacks, Trump denies--but there was a little bit about Queen Elizabeth going out for a walk in the middle of the night and "almost being shot" by a palace guard. You then quipped something along the lines of, "What I want to know is why she was walking around in a hoodie at 3 a.m., and when the guard tried to talk to her all she'd say was, 'Sup, sup?'" (That's from memory, so possibly not 100% accurate, but it's pretty close.)

I've got to admit that there's a part of me that thinks that that's pretty damned funny, actually. The juxtaposition of the whiter shade of pale nonagenarian monarch with the seventeen year old Trayvon Martin is so ludicrous that it's hard not to laugh.

However . . .

I don't think that #Blacklivesmatter has a sense of humor. And I'm not saying that they should have a sense of humor about things like this. When you are a member of a group that is being preyed upon, there's no reason to be patient with people who use one of your victimized people for humor fodder. I don't think it would be very funny if someone made a joke based on the Standing Rock water protestors being maimed by a concussion grenade. 

So do you think you should apologize?


Thomas



I'll let you know if I hear back.