Ophelia is all I need to know about Memphis

I'm pissed this morning, but not surprised. The fact that Memphis would elect another Ford to public office simply confirms the opinion that most of the rest of the country has of us, that we're a bunch of idiots. But I'm not sure I'm more pissed off at the people who voted for Ford, or those who voted for Robert Hodges. I mean, my gosh, how often can this psychopath keep running and have morons keep voting for him? Let's check the math. Ophelia wins by 12 votes. 69 dumb-asses voted for Prince Mongo. Great. Of course, in the American system we're blessed to be able to cast our votes anonymously for any reprobate, deviate, or thief we choose. No doubt some of those 69 MENSA rejects felt neither of the other candidates in the race was worthy of their vote. The thing I'd ask, but which their feeble gray matter would not allow them to consider, is whether allowing Ophelia to win due to their ignorance and apathy was worth the big yuk-yuks they got while besotting themselves with Old Milwaukee. Oh, how hilarious to cast a vote for the Zambodian medicine chest. Makes me want to bust a gut thinking about how funny it is that Ophelia won. Or am I more pissed at the myopic bigots who voted for Ford only because she is her brother's sister and only because she is black? I will not accept anyone telling me she was the better of the candidates. During her "campaign", which was basically a string of appearances giving hugs, kisses, and "I'm one of you" comments, Ford never answered one question honestly, directly, or with anything approaching character. I was truly amused at the Commercial Appeal's efforts at getting the candidates to give real answers. Ford would not sit down for an interview. Instead, she mailed them in, and none was really an answer. It was her saying what she wanted, and ignoring the questions. Did the Commercial Appeal call her or try to force her to answer? And the electronic media in Memphis are so worried about kissing the Ford family's collective posteriors or possibly offending black viewers by asking real questions of a Ford that they weren't about to try to force her to say anything that approached real honesty in any way. The media in this city are a bunch of cowards. Come on, poeple. Dig, question, force answers. We actually want that, even if we're, collectively, a bunch of unconcerned mental midgets. Terrance Bates and Jeni Diprizo at 24/30 are the only two local reporters I see who will get in people's faces. Of course, I think this goes back to management at the stations being arrogant but cowardly lions more than anything else. Will the Tennessee GOP contest the election? I'm not sure it will, at least not with full force. I think it either has given up on Ford's district as a Democrat stronghold or is waiting until the next general election. Of course, I'm not sure the TN GOP leadership has a whole lot of foresight on anything when it comes to Memphis politics. Otherwise John Willingham would not have been the opponent for Mayor Herenton last time around. I truly believe Herenton is vulnerable, if the GOP will put some serious dollars and some truly issue-oriented ads into the market, and play them long and hard. I guess my biggest reason for my piss-off-edness is the Memphis 'tude. If you're black, vote black. If you're white, vote white. If you're black, you can't trust whitey under any circumstances. If you're white, watch your wallet around all black men. If you're black, make sure you're rude to every honky you meet. If you're white, make sure you walk on the other side of the street when you see black people coming. City leaders keep reinforcing this, espeically with the Mayor's thug-speak when he goes on urban radio. City leaders know they can tap into the predjudice of their constituency to keep things angry, and keep themselves getting reelected. After all, isn't it more important to look and act like someone than to actually have substance? In Memphis, bring your street cred and your ebonics-laced speech, because substance don't mean shit.