So there’s a whole lot of fuss over GOP candidate Rick Perry’s hunting ground which may or may not have once been or is now called “Niggerhead”. When visitors spotted a rock with the name under a not-so-thick coat of white paint, news media has been all over the “Rick Perry’s Racism” story.  The one consistency across the stories is that regardless of the current visibility the sign reading “Niggerhead” was painted over or flipped over years ago. But not quite carefully enough so that it couldn’t still be seen. After a century of slavery and decades of systemic oppression of blacks in the United States, it’s certainly outrageous to have this word, tied to abuse, mistreatment, and hatred, printed on anything especially the property of a public figure. Especially the property of white, conservative, Texan Rick Perry. It speaks more to carelessness, lack of conscientiousness, and simple blindness to the significance of the word “nigger” more than to any type of outright racism. Perry was quoted saying that nigger is “an offensive name that has no place in the modern world”. True. Would I call Rick Perry a blatant racist over this? No. Is the insensitivity of leaving this sign up for so long inexcusable? Yes. Am I shocked? Sure. I’m also shocked by Nazis at costume parties (yes, I’ve seen more than one) like Prince Henry was seen sporting in 2005. I am also shocked that Chicago the Blackhawks or Washington has the Redskins as mascots which are usually animals.. The common lack of racial sensitivity blows my mind. And it doesn’t start with Rick Perry.