I Blame Michael Richards

Just when you you thought it was safe to trust the gubb'ment (yeah, right?) again...

The Department of Homeland Security will investigate a Halloween costume party hosted by a top immigration official and attended by a man dressed in a striped prison outfit, dreadlocks and darkened skin make-up, a costume some say is offensive, the department's secretary said.

Julie Myers, head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, called the man's costume "offensive." Myers, head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and host of the fundraising party, was on a three-judge panel that originally praised the prisoner costume for "originality."

Myers later apologized for "a few of the costumes," calling them "inappropriate and offensive." She said she and other senior managers "deeply regret that this happened."

A department photographer photographed Myers with the man, but the images were deleted after the costume were deemed offensive, ICE spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said.

Nantel said one employee, whom she declined to identify, was wearing a black-and-white striped prison outfit, dreadlocks and a skin "bronzer" intended "to make him look African-American." But, she said, it was not immediately apparent that he was wearing the make-up.

WTH?!?

This has hardly been a banner year for race relations in America. From Imus, to Jena, to the proliferation of nooses, to Megan Williams, to blackface frat parties, to Dog The Bounty Hunter, it seems like hardly a week goes by without some new incidence of outlandish hatred. This is just the latest in a line of sad, sad, sad, stories about the state of our country.

Personally, I blame Michael "KKKramer" Richards. How else do you explain the out of control climate of racism floating around this year? I think he got the ball rolling and the year off to a bad start with his now legendary "when standup comedy goes wrong" ordeal, and it's been all downhill ever since.

I know I have a handful of white readers. Lots of them jumped ship after I stopped talking smack about the Jena Six, but for those of you who do still visit, what's your take on why things are so brazenly out of control right now. When I read comments like these, about the Homeland Security costume debacle on what's supposed to be a "progressive" blog, I wonder if there's any hope for us. In the immortal words of one man with a Hyundai and an S-Curl, "can't we all just get along?"

Dag, would 2008 hurry up and get here or what?

Immigration chief apologizes for 'offensive' costumes at her party [CNN]