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Emil Guillermo: UPDATE—How to sue for discrimination? Ellen Pao was a smart former VC, but not as smart as the lowly Uber driver who now has a video. This tongue lashing reminded me of every bad boss I ever had. ##UPDATE## comment on cop Patrick Cherry’s apology.

April 2, 2015 Amok

SEE UPDATE at end of post:

When Ellen Pao lost her discrimination case against the venture capital giant Kleiner Perkins, it was pretty predictable. Her case was all low-tech, “He said, she said.”

Analysts said she didn’t have a smoking gun.

Or a smoking video.

I thought about that as I watched that video of the South Asian man, an Uber driver, getting a tongue lashing from NYPD’s Patrick Cherry.

He reminded me of every bad white male boss I ever had.

Come to think of it, throw in all my bad bosses of any color. Gender even. It happens.

After all, a bully is a bully.

If you haven’t seen the video, see my essay and the video in full, here.

UPDATE 4/3/15 12:03 PDT

Cherry has been stripped of his badge and gun and reassigned and has now apologized, according to an exclusive WNBC-TV report.

Not so fast. Even Jesus took some time to resurrect.

I want to be a good, forgiving Christian…especially on Good Friday.

But this is something worth dwelling on.

If you don’t know what hate and racism look like in this “post-racial” era, take a look at that video again.

That’s intolerance, that’s hate, and it definitely exists. No doubt about it.

Just ask Cherry. His apology is here.

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Emil Guillermo: Religious Freedom Restoration Act? Why it’s to protect things like people crucifying themselves like they do in the Philippines. Right, Gov. Mike Pence? To prove it, he should stage a special Good Friday at the state capitol.

April 1, 2015 Amok

In the Philippines, they crucify people on Holy Week.

Really.

In fact, the guy who has done it 28 years running would like to retire. But this year, the town council can’t find a suitable replacement.

So he’s sticking to his nails. Because he’s a believer.

Now that’s an example of religious freedom!

And, if Gov. Mike Pence were serious about that Religious Freedom Restoration Act of his –as being for real and not just some legislation handcrafted at the local Hobby Lobby to keep liberal folk from dictating stuff like gay marriage and abortion into their conservative lives–then I’d say the Philippines, America’s First Colony, may have inspired a simple solution.

On Good Friday, Pence should stage a public crucifixion at the Indiana State House.

You know, an Indy Golgotha kind of thing.

And Pence can be the penitent.

Really show off his faith in his bad law. Go hog wild. Maybe even have a big concert or a DJ giving it a whole rave kind of flavor.

Invite gays, all the minorities in Indiana, make it a real party.

Then maybe we can take Pence at his word, that the law is no license to discriminate but rather a license to practice religion, however extreme.

And he’s the example.

And think of the business. You know, those crucifixions in the Philippines draw thousands. More than an Easter Egg hunt.

If he did that on Friday, I’d be ready for the Final Four by the weekend.

But I got to see Pence willing to, as they say, get his nails done.

Until then, I’m not buying anything Pence is saying about that bad law.

And after today, he doesn’t even have the “April Fool” excuse.

Don’t know if he’s really got a better option–beyond ripping up the law and forgetting it ever happened.

He’s already shown he’s willing to commit political suicide in the name of conservative anti-gay religious zealots.

Let’s give him a chance to redeem himself on a the cross.

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Emil Guillermo: Journalist Danny Schechter died on March 19, his WBCN radio pal, Charles Laquidara, released this interview recently.

March 30, 2015 Amok

I went to college in Boston in the ’70s and while I was messing around on WHRB as Emil For Real, the radio king in the market was Charles Laquidara and his “Big Mattress” morning radio show on WBCN in Boston.

His newsman was Danny Schechter, the “News Dissector.”