The Continuing Saga of a Sociopath

God help us all.

OJ is in court again. This time it's because he allegedly (read: probably) threatened some dude who stole *cough* set up *cough* some sports memorabilia from him in Vegas. Once more I can feel white America hanging its vengeful hopes on the conviction of OJ Simpleton...I mean Simpson. Once more I can feel the skepticism of black Americans who believe that white folks are simply "out to get" him. I honestly heard one brother say with a straight face, "Man, they just keep on trying to squeeze The Juice." Since I'm now taking my cues from the NAACP and Al Sharpton, and recognizing the official death of the "N-word," I just gave the brother a withering look and responded, "African-American, please."

Actually, I can't say that I didn't see another case coming. Sure, OJ began his post-acquittal life quietly enough - leisurely wiling away the borrowed hours of his miraculous second chance on America's golf courses. Then (cue the theme music to "Jaws") came news that he'd had an altercation or two with one of his white girlfriends. Then came the grotesque, semi-confessional, If I Did It, which, I have to say, was the defiant product of an absolute madman. All of which bring us to now - when I can't watch ESPN without being given up-to-the-minute information on OJ's legal condition.

Make no mistake about it: this will go to trial. I suspect that this time, no matter the verdict, both whites and blacks will be slightly more subdued in their reactions. I doubt I'll see black folks happily dancing around in the street if OJ dodges another bullet (no, really, I actually saw this.) Nor do I expect to see white folks crying while standing in line waiting to check out their groceries (ditto.) After all, this case is noticeably free of murdered white women. White corpses tend to get the populace ginned up. Brown corpses? Not so much. I think that, in part, this explains why African-Americans were so eager to see OJ moonwalk out of the courtroom a free man the first time. When OJ came out "clean" on the other side of that murder case, it was as if black folks were saying, "See, white people? Injustice doesn't feel too good. Does it?"

Blaxplanation Disclaimer: Just so you know, I'm not dismissing the almost certainly OJ-caused deaths of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson. I just happen to have noticed that black Americans care as much about them as white Americans do about the unsolved murders of thousands of young black men and women that occur in this country every year. I think that's reasonable. Don't you?