• Just about every business or civic organization is abasing itself to sign on to what I call the White Guilt Confessional, but some efforts really stand out.
My favorite at the moment, sent in from a reader, concerns a mis-step by WineSpeed:
Dear WineSpeed Readers:
Today’s WineSpeed went out with the title “A Time to Drink Not Think.” The reference was to rosé wines, since the “Wine to Know” in that issue was a simple rosé which requires no “thinking” to enjoy.
However, I clearly WASN’T thinking. Some of you understandably thought I was referring to what is happening in the country right now and the terrible systemic racism that we are all so acutely aware of. The title did NOT refer to that. But I deeply regret that it appeared to. And I apologize to you.
My feelings about the unfairness and injustice in our country—and indeed in our industry—were also in the current issue under “My Take.”
Here those paragraphs are again, if you did not see them:
We think of the wine industry as generous, open-to-all, and focused on the spirit of community. But a look around any industry tasting event reveals that the wine industry has a long way to go. The number of African Americans around the tasting table remains far too low. And it’s true for Asians and Latinos, too. (Especially black, Asian, and Latina women). These days, we are reminded that this inequality in the industry we love is more than sad. It’s a loss for us all.
The industry’s lack of diversity is an insidious problem with many entwined threads of causation. I don’t pretend to understand all those reasons or to have any of the answers. But somehow, each in our way, we must begin a process of change.
Again, my deepest apologies for not catching a title that was offensive, insensitive, and open to misinterpretation.
With regret,
Karen
Yes, inequality at wine tasting tables is a crucial problem for the country right now. Excuse me, but I need a drink stronger than Cabernet right now. Also, I think we need to adopt quotas for wine tasting rooms, and discounts for customers of color (except white whine customers—they pay full price; white Zinfandel customers pay double).
• Chaser: Paul wrote yesterday about the abysmal ignorance of Virginia Democratic Senator (and former Vice Presidential candidate) Tim Kaine in claiming that the U.S. “invented slavery.” Kaine has company:
I guess the ACLU has never heard of the Old Testament, the Middle Ages, etc. It’s almost as thought lefty politicians and organizations are trying to dumb themselves down.
P.S. Tweet of the day:
Notice: All comments are subject to moderation. Our comments are intended to be a forum for civil discourse bearing on the subject under discussion. Commenters who stray beyond the bounds of civility or employ what we deem gratuitous vulgarity in a comment — including, but not limited to, “s***,” “f***,” “a*******,” or one of their many variants — will be banned without further notice in the sole discretion of the site moderator.