On Tuesday of this week, one of the top items on a CBC evening news program was about a how a local flag shop, one of a national chain, had taken all of its Confederate flags off its shelves, in accordance with the chain’s decision to no longer stock the item. The chain’s edict surprised no one, coming as it did in the wake of last week’s racist murder in Charleston, SC, and the subsequent international discussion of the flag as a racist symbol.

All of this suddenly intensified debate reminded me of a conversation I once had with a dear friend. (One of the reasons that I cherish my closest friends is that we can talk about pretty much anything.) I can’t remember exactly when this conversation took place, but it would have been some time in the 90s; we would have been in our 20s then. How we got on the subject escapes me, but we ended up talking about the Confederate flag. The gist of the discussion was that we were mystified as to why anyone, in this day and age, would choose to display it, as we both were well aware of its racist history. My friend made a good point, that being that some people probably don’t know how offensive the flag is, particularly to black people. He told me a story about something that had happened to a co-worker of his. It seems this co-worker had affixed a Confederate flag vanity plate to the front of his car, and one day, upon exiting a store, he was confronted by a black man who wanted to know if the co-worker had a problem with black people. The co-worker, stunned, responded that he didn’t, and was informed by the man that the flag on the front of the car had led him to think that he did. When relating the story to my friend, the co-worker said that he had no idea that the flag could be seen as racist, that he had placed it on his car because he thought it was “cool.” My friend, though surprised by his co-worker’s ignorance, saw no reason not to believe him.

My friend, his co-worker, and I are all roughly the same age, and while I couldn’t speak for them, I know that the first time I can recall being exposed to the Confederate flag was while watching the TV show “The Dukes of Hazzard.” I imagine that my friend and his co-worker probably watched the popular show as well. When I was a 10-year-old boy, everything about the General Lee, the iconic car from the show, was “cool,” including the rebel flag emblazoned on the roof. Somewhere along the passage through our teens and into our twenties, my friend and I had somehow managed to glean the flag’s historical significance. My friend’s co-worker simply had not.

The better part of two decades has passed since my dear friend and I had a conversation about a racist flag. I still see the flag around from time to time, usually on vehicles, mostly pick-up trucks (not judging, just saying). When I do see it, I wonder whether the person who made that choice doesn’t know, or just doesn’t care, about the hurt that they are causing; I hope for the former, despair at the latter. In 2015, it’s “a story” when a stores in Canada decide to stop selling the Confederate flag. I think the real story is that, sadly, in 2015, stores in Canada would still choose to sell it, and, sadder still, people would still want to buy it.

Last week, my home province was abuzz with excitement over the presence of one Snoop Dogg (née, Calvin Broadus), who was in Truro to appear in an episode of the internationally acclaimed TV show Trailer Park Boys. People, including members of our story-starved media, flocked to Truro (How often does that happen? Most people can’t wait to get the flock out of Truro.) in hopes of getting a glimpse, picture, or interview of/with the famous rappist. Alas, by Friday, the bloom was off the rose, somewhat, as news spread through social media that Mr. Dogg had shared a meme on Instagram which referred to Caitlyn (née Bruce) Jenner as a “science project.” People were shocked and outraged, probably. “How could you, Snoop?!” I can imagine some wailed.

How indeed. I have a few thoughts on this.

Does anyone know why Snoop Dogg is famous, I mean, before he became the cute, cuddly, pot-loving, high school football-coaching, funny-tizzalking, Huggy Bear-playing cartoon character that so many seem to want to wish in their heart of hearts that he is? Well, for those who don’t/can’t/won’t recall, he made his fortune as a recording artist, a rapper whose stock in trade was spewing forth profane lyrics that glorified violence and misogyny. A cursory listen to some of his “greatest hits,” or a perusal of his video catalogue, would be more than enough for anyone of reasonable intelligence to conclude that Snoop Dogg is probably not the most socially enlightened of individuals. And as much as he probably wants the world to believe that he’s changed, in order to seem more acceptable to the mainstream and to grow his brand (he does, after all, have his mind on his money, and so forth…), he is who he is and what he is. You don’t even need to take my word for it. As I was pondering writing this little opinion piece, my point was being proved for me, as I saw on the news this morning that that rascally Snoop caused another hubbub by complimenting a female CBC camera operator, opining on her “thick”-ness, and encouraging the giggling bro-dude-homies flanking him to “look at the shit on that critter.” (Aside: This behaviour is indefensible, but again, not shocking at all.) So, yes, be outraged by Snoop Dogg’s attitudes towards women, and rightfully condemn his spreading ideas that promote hate. Just don’t be shocked.

Now, allow me to play devil’s advocate for a bit.

I actually became aware of the meme in question a day before the media picked up on the Snoop Dogg connection, and in kind of an odd way. I saw it on Facebook. What’s so odd about that? Bear with me for a minute. The meme begins as congratulations to another recording artist, Akon, and refers to some project that he has financed to help people in Africa. (Sounds noble) It also bemoans the dearth of media coverage as relates to this endeavour. (Sounds reasonable) Then it ends by juxtaposing this with the attention garnered by Caitlyn Jenner, referring to Jenner as a “science project.” My first thought when I read it was, “That’s not very nice,” quickly followed by, “Why am I seeing this?” A closer inspection solved the mystery. Try and follow me here: a Facebook friend of one of my Facebook friends shared it, and my Facebook friend “liked” it. Now here’s the odd part; this particular friend of mine is one of the nicest, most tolerant people you could ever meet. Granted, we’re not BFFs or anything, but I’m fairly certain that she’s not some awful closet hatemonger. What’s more, she’s extremely intelligent. (She has an advanced degree in English Literature for crying out loud.) So, what gives? Well, sometimes the simplest explanation makes the most sense. After thinking about it for a bit, I came to the conclusion that she, like a lot of people on social media, gave the thing a glance, didn’t really absorb the whole thing, clicked a button, and didn’t give it another thought.

So, what it comes down to is, if I’m going to give someone with a Master’s in Eng. Lit. a pass for not reading something properly, I should at least entertain the thought that a dumbass like Snoop Dogg might have done the same thing.

Finally, just this: why does anyone care what Snoop Dogg thinks?