Race you to the gulag

Yes, it was a stupid, silly thing to say. Yes, it was, and I mean exactly this, mildly offensive. But too much has been made about Detroit Tigers commentator Jack Morris mocking California Angels superstar and Japanese national Shohei Ohtani with an oriental accent while on the air. 

Morris has been suspended and must undergo sensitivity training before he can return to the broadcast booth. But for what? For being stupid and rude? Nearly all of us could stand advanced training on civility, as would any person who has not said dumb, inconsiderate things. But to mandate it? Race you to the gulag.

No less than Ohtani himself has said he's not offended, even complimenting Morris as the Hall of Fame pitcher he is. Perhaps he's only been being deferential. But maybe, just maybe, he's taking the right tack and not letting petty little comments bother him. Maybe, just maybe, he's got the thick skin a hell of a lot more folks in these United States need to develop. 

When most everyone else, it appears, are more offended than the one person Morris' lame joke was aimed at, it may signal that the rest of you need to be considerably less offended for him. What in Heaven's name happened to sticks and stones? Let it go, like water off a duck's back, me Pops would say. And dammit, he'd be right.