by Dennis McKeon
”Middle class educated white people don’t go to bet on the dogs.”
The statement is so hateful and dripping with unbridled, de-humanizing racism, it almost makes one feel unclean for having read it, and frankly, for even having to repeat it by reporting it to you here, dear reader. Yet these are the words of one Karyn Zoldan, listed on the Grey2k website as a Board Member of that particular lobbying group, which works incessantly to criminalize wagering on greyhound races, wherever pari-mutuel wagering on greyhound racing is now legal.
Zoldan penned this particularly revealing little sililoquy on the Grey2k blog, as a post-mortem to Grey2k’s unsuccessful, nationally publicized and well choreographed temper tantrum. That particular performance, complete with overwrought, hysterical, metaphorical fist-shaking and foot-stamping on all media, was supposed to force the Skechers footwear company to withdraw the charming and inventive commercial it planned to run during the recent Super Bowl broadcast (simply because most of the canine characters in it were real Racing Greyhounds). Grey2k had not only organized a boycott of Skechers, but even occupations of venues to Skechers stores and outlets, to coerce Skechers to bend to their will. And of course, it should go without saying, that the entire extravaganza was likely contrived primarily to call attention to themselves, and their insatiable appetite for financial contributions.
Skechers was apparently unmoved by all the shrieking, breath-holding and assorted other conniptions, and the commercial ran as scheduled. It did quite well in the various polls taken to rate the appeal of specially produced, Super Bowl advertisements.
Since the webmaster of Grey2k has removed the statement of Ms. Zoldan from their blog, here it is again:
”Middle class educated white people don’t go to bet on the dogs.”
The Greyhound Racing Professionals of America have all been negatively stereotyped by Grey2k’s rhetorical attacks upon their livelihood, time and again. They are portrayed as being inhumane, cultural throwbacks—brutal, insensitive, abusers and exploiters of Racing Greyhounds, simply by virtue of their participation in the business of greyhound racing—which to Grey2k, is all of those things. Greyhound racing professionals have almost become de-sensitized to the hateful and harmful propaganda that is intrinsic to the political lobbying and sensationalism Grey2k engages in, in order to bring their agenda to the attention of politicians, to their allies in the mainstream media, and most importantly, to potential donation providers.
Now, Ms. Zoldan, Grey2k Board Member, has proclaimed that people of color and of the lower income classes are the sole enablers and sole supporters of this allegedly primitive, barbaric, lowbrow and abusive business of greyhound racing.
”Middle class educated white people don’t go to bet on the dogs.”
The patronizing elitism, condescending culturism and unabashed racism of such an ill-advised and hateful statement speaks volumes to the veracity of Grey2k’s anti-racing rhetoric and talking points, and more specifically, to the true nature of the Grey2k agenda.