Drum roll please...announcing my choices for...
Haters of the Year!!!
Despite all the rampant idiocy that plagued our planet, and America in particular, during 2002, there were a few shining stars. It's time to give them their due. Since I couldn't pick just one, I'm listing the nominees here, in no particular order. Pick your favorite...
- Eminem. In '02, Mr. Mathers did what people never wanted to let him do -- get respect from button-down White AmeriKKKa. Between his third LP, "The Eminem Show," and his blockbuster film "8 Mile," Marshall gained acclaim as the artistic genius that he is, and most importantly, he did it his way. He's cleaned up his act offstage, but kept it hard onstage, maintaining his hard-earned street cred while endearing himself to even the older generations of white folk that he'd pissed off for so long. Call him a sellout, but it's only selling out if you cater to the public (Nelly, Ja Rule, etc.). Mr. Mathers did it on his terms, and he's laughing all the way to the bank. The greatest emcee on the planet right now (not saying much these days, but still) is on top of the world...he was even on Time's short list for Man of the Year. It had to hurt folks to give the man his due, but he got it.
- Tyrone Willingham. So much for the "darkies can't coach" myth. Willingham shattered all glass ceilings with a blockbuster first year in the nation's biggest pressure cooker. Notre Dame was the feel-good story of the first half of the fall, and Willingham helped put the Irish back in the national fray. More importantly, he's put the spotlight on a glaring piece of racism -- there are 4 black head coaches at Division I-A football programs, and as of opening day there were only 13 black assistants. Those sad figures should change soon, and it's going to be largely due to the quiet work of Tyrone. We've already got one new hire at UCLA who likely wouldn't have gotten an interview if ND went 5-7 this year. There will be more -- and it'll be about damn time.
- Michael Moore. America has an addiction to violence. Strangely, most people don't really see it that way, but Moore is doing his best to open eyes. His latest film, "Bowling For Columbine," did plenty to shed the light on our affliction, and the fact that he made Charlton Heston look like a moron in the process was just gravy. On the political front, his book "Stupid White Men" hit the best-seller list and showed the world just how scummy politicians can really be (yes, it's even worse than we thought). The more shine this guy gets, the better off we'll all be. 2002 was a good step forward.
- Jean-Charles Brisard and Guillaume Dasquie. Actually, these two frogs are just accepting the award on behalf of everyone who has actually tried to shed light upon what really happened last September. Their book "Forbidden Truth" helps show just how deep the ties run between the Bush Klan and Saudi Arabia, providing a key look at one of the reasons we've intentionally botched the "war" on terrorism. These guys, as well as those select few running nyneleven-themed websites, get their props for trying. Conspiracy theories? Maybe. But there's plenty of evidence around, and these guys have done a good job of collecting it. Einstein had a theory once too...we just need to take what we've got and work with it to see the full picture clearly. The American mainstream press has done their best to shield Bush, but the ball is rolling on the other side...hopefully it'll pick up steam in '03.
- Mark Cuban. There's no year in which he's not a full-blown Hater. Cuban continually shits in the face of the NBA's old guard, lobbying for change, spending what he needs to spend for a winner and generally having fun with his very expensive toy, the Dallas Mavericks. Cuban worked a day at a Dairy Queen just for shits and giggles, he runs onto the floor during brawls and he disses Stern at every corner. Who wouldn't want to switch places with this guy? I know I would...and I wouldn't switch with more than a handful of cats.
- Aaron McGruder. No one is safe from "The Boondocks." Trent Lott, Bush, BET, Ja Rule, you name it -- McGruder will hate on anyone, be they black or white. He's created the most politically charged comic strip going. On top of that, he's funny as hell -- and he's not afraid to shit on black culture or the powers that be. With all due respect to the late Charles Schulz, "The Boondocks" may be on its way to becoming the greatest comic strip ever created.
Honorable mention: Ted Rall, Tom Tomorrow, that German guy who compared Bush to Hitler, and, of course...the SuperHaters.
Coming up next: the easiest Hate Targets of 2002 (or at least as many as I can manage to single out). Stay tuned...
-- O
6:54:33 AM 
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