Chez Chesler

The News Leader - www.newsleader.com - Staunton, Va. Virginia delegate Frank Hargrove opposed a resolution seeking an apology for slavery from the state of Virginia by saying black citizens should get over it. An apology is probably not the same thing as reparations -- the call for forty acres and a mule -- and I have gladly accepted Dr. Walter Williams' Certificate of Amnest and Pardon -- and given that the state of Virginia is continuous with its past, might be worthy of discussion. Hargrove was certainly not diplomatic in his expression. He went on further to say "Are we going to force the Jews to apologize for killing Christ?" Let the apologies and forgiveness begin. I hereby forgive Frank Hargrove for sexually abusing me when I was a young aide in his office. Meanwhile, on and off the set of Grey's Anatomy, Isaiah Washington got in trouble at the Golden Globes for saying "I did not call T.R. a faggot." Apparently you are not allowed to say the things you're not allowed to say, even when you're denying that you said them. Accordingly, I will not say "I never called Isaiah Washington nigger."

I just noticed that we've had a 50-star flag for a long time. The 48-star flag was in effect from February 14, 1912, when Arizona joined the union, until January 3, 1959, when Alaska joined the union, 46 years 323 days, or 17,125 days. Up until then, that was the longest gap between adding states. (Prior to that the longest gap was between Missouri on August 10, 1821 and Arkansas on June 15, 1836, 14 years 310 days.) The 50-star flag has been in effect longer than any other. There has not been a new state added to the union since Hawaii on August 21, 1959. The old record was quietly tied last summer, on July 11, 2006. We are now in the longest period that no new state has been added to the United States of America since the founding of this country. I see Catholic Sensibility noticed this on September 4.