Can Beer Save the World?

This Thursday, President Obama will take on the race issue in America, while trying to save a little face himself. The President found himself in the center of what became the most high-profile racially tense confrontation we've seen in awhile. Now he's hoping to bury the hatchet over a cold one.

We've heard this story plenty of times before. White cops and black dudes who can't "get along." But this time, it also involved an African American Harvard professor who was arrested for disorderly conduct after a woman called about what she thought was a break-in at the professor's home. Sgt. James Crowley arrested Henry Louis Gates last week saying Gates was being belligerent during the investigation of the possible break-in. Gates accused Crowley of racial profiling, called him a "rogue cop," and demanded an apology. Crowley says he arrested Gates because he didn't like being called a racist, and claims Gates made some comments about the officer's mother.

All of us would probably agree that being accused of breaking into your own home would be annoying and probably piss you off, no matter who you are. But you also don't yell at a cop even if you are in your own home. And to make Yo-Mama cracks at a cop...probably not a good idea! Of course, the whole thing went "big-time" when Obama put his two-cents in and said the Cambridge Police Department "acted stupidly." However, as the facts started to come out, and charges against Gates were actually dropped, it seems that maybe the officer isn't such a racist. Apparently, Crowley was chosen by a black police commissioner to teach recruits about avoiding racial profiling. A lot of other people in the department back him up, but cops also tend to do that sort of thing for each other.

The President has admitted Professor Gates is a personal friend. Obama also spoke with Crowley on the phone and has since called the sergeant "an outstanding police officer." While he hasn't backed down from his original stance, President Obama still thinks both men overreacted, and proposed the two come to the White house to talk about it over a beer.

According to Reuters, the beer orders are already in; Crowley is having a Belgian Blue Moon white ale (perfect). Gates will probably have a Red Stripe (yah mon, also perfect). The President, he's sticking to traditional domestic and diplomatic Budweiser (once again perfect, but also pretty weak Barack). All jokes aside, if the whole "beer-talk" thing works out, maybe we should try it for even bigger problems.

What if beer could bring peace to the Middle East? Maybe the Shiite and Sunni leaders should sit down in Iraq and toss back a few! Does anyone know what kind of beer Kim Jong Il likes? That could get those nuclear talks going again. The Cold War could have been over a lot sooner if Americans and Soviets traded samples of their favorite micro-brews.

Then again, having a beer can start out good, but end up messy. Being from Wisconsin, I find it's pretty hard to have just one beer. But a few too many, and there could be an all-out brawl on the White House lawn. But if that does happen, after the guys are done fighting they'll probably hug-it-out and have a good laugh. (Bro, you're my bro, bro!)

So I say YES, bring on beer diplomacy. Let's have Miller Time at the G8 summit. Let's live the High Life in Darfur. Great taste, less filibuster.

THE ANGRY PROPHET