The Lily White Groves of Suburbia

That's the thing about a democracy.

You can behave as badly as you want. There are no laws against stupidity or greed or nastiness.

And private clubs have the right to be exclusively and solely for left-handed lesbian water-colorists who own property in South Beach if that's what they want.

Thus the world-renowned Vancouver Golf Club in sunny downtown sophisticated and enlightened Coquitlam, B.C. has a perfect right to not admit Korean golfers whose English is not very good.

They have the right.

But do they have any brains?

Or simple decency?

This could have been a teachable moment.

The geniuses who preside over this venerable old institution could have hired one of the thousands of unemployed ESL teachers on a part-time basis to crank up the abilities of club members to say, "Two dry martinis, please," or "May I have a towel to dry myself when I emerge from the shower, please?" or "You play through. We are slower."

But no.

It's always better to discriminate against people and violate the basic sentiments of the nation.

You can get a driver's license in this province in one of 167 languages other than English.

But you can't drive a golf cart in Korean?

Kum sum ni dah.

Obama

I thought Barak Obama's speech last night was magnificent.

I thought he was wonderful.

I don't believe he is the second coming of you-know-who.

Nor is he Jack Kennedy or Dr. King.

He is Barack Obama, and for me, at this moment in history, that's way more than enough.

He is a politician and he got to this spot on this stage not by being an outsider. He has played all of the usual political games and he has played them well enough to be a Presidential candidate.

But, how could anyone look at John McCain and not see Same Old, Same Old?

Obama is different and he is new and he is terribly smart.

I hope to see him become the President.