(NNPA)—Most Americans over 45 years old remember the movie “Tarzan, King of the Apes.” For those younger than 45, “Tarzan,” the movie, was set in the jungles of Africa and falsely depicted natives as primitive and backward. That is, until baby Tarzan is raised by the natives and taught their social mores and cultural rituals.

As Tarzan grows older he become “one of the natives” and eventually “king of the natives.” Such a scenario was not far fetched for the racist-tinged times of the 1950s and ’60s. However, evidence that the United States of America is not “post-racial” may well be found in the racially and ethnically stereotypical movie, “Avatar” released in 2010.

Associate Justice Samuel Alito’s show of partisanship during President Obama’s State of the Union address stands as one more piece of evidence that conservatives believe the American government belongs to them, not the people of the United States. With the echoes of U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson’s “You lie” barely still, Alito’s head-wagging, lip-mouthing “Not true” in response to Obama’s claim that a recent Supreme Court decision allowing corporations to spend on political campaign ads overturned a century of precedents and opened the floodgates to special interests went way past poor decorum.

(NNPA)—Time has passed since the Super Bowl and the glorious victory of the New Orleans Saints, but I find that I keep coming back to that game, and not for the reasons that you might think. The Indianapolis Colts were supposed to win that game. They are an outstanding team with an outstanding quarterback and head coach. Everyone knew that it would be uphill for the Saints.

But the Saints won. And in many respects they won through an interesting combination of incredible team work, leadership and audacity. Although Indianapolis took the lead in the first quarter, it was apparent by the end of the second quarter that something was changing. And then it happened. An on-side kick which took everyone—including but not limited to the Colts—by complete surprise. It is one thing to use such a kick in the fourth quarter, but in the third? After half-time?

On Jan. 5, I was in attendance at a breakfast fundraiser in the behalf of Allegheny County Councilman William “Bill” Robinson. As we were sitting around just talking, a former resident of the Hill District, who resided on Whiteside Road, stated that it was a disgrace that the new development did not carry the same name Whiteside Road.

I then asked, “Did you or anyone else make that suggestion?” His response was no, my response was that is what we excel at—never saying anything. If we do it’s usually after the fact.