CHAPTER 4: Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty Makes a ´Name´ For Herself

Chapters 1, 2, and 3 tell the story of my little black cat, Ms Kitty Kitty Kitty: how she came to live with me, accidentally get herself elected to Congress, and her first days in Washington, DC. Oh, what a story! Haven´t read the first three chapters? Stop what you are doing and get caught up on this incredible adventure. They are posted here on American Chronicle and other Chronicle sites for your reading pleasure.

This chapter is about an unfortunate incident concerning Ms Kitty and her name. One that became quite controversial to say the least. It doesn´t take much on a slow news day to bring out the worst in our press people. Man, they took this story and ran with it like that cub reporter, Jimmy Olson, of the Daily Planet in the ´Superman´ days.

Now, let me begin by saying that Ms Kitty assumed her name quite innocently. She is a proper cat and, as such, required a proper name – a first and last name for sure. To finish the polished image of this precocious feline, a middle name was deemed necessary. Believe me when I tell you there was no malice aforethought in picking her name. No one in all good conscience can realistically claim that to be the case . I swear it!

However, when her staff signed her in to one of her classes at the ´Freshman Orientation´ I mentioned in Chapter 3, they used her initials, KKK. Someone picked up on this somehow and saw it as an ominous development when all it was were her initials - plain and simple.

People are extremely sensitive in these matters as well they should be – if founded. In this case to presume anything other than the obvious was patently ridiculous. She had a name with three initials. Probably most people do.

Reverend Al became involved when it was reported in the local press (that New York Times again?), became a national story, and produced much speculation and tension. He immediately came to Washington to examine the ´stir´ as he usually does when these sorts of things arise. All hell broke loose! The esteemed Reverend was in town – people had best mind their P´s and Q´s because the cabbage was bound to hit the fan.

I respect the Reverend Al. Heck, my brother Burt swears by him. He is great entertainment as I suspect half of his preaching is pulling our leg. However, I believe the Reverend enjoys tweaking white folk and, with a straight face, produces little gems of diatribe to ´stir´ us. Nothing wrong with a little friendly agitation now and then I suppose. Keeps us on our toes.

Reverend Al is a frequent guest on Chris Matthews´ nightly ´Hardball´ program on MSNBC. Chris fawns over him as if he were the disciple of all that is ´racial´ in America. Not trifling this time, Reverend Al appeared on the show – oh, that Chris is really on top of the news - to pontificate on this incident concerning Ms Kitty. "She is nothing short of a feline Don Imus!" he reported, and called for her to be impeached. He claimed she was a ´plant´, a shill, a not - so - clever joke on Congress. He further claimed her initials were a ´code word´ and he, of all people, certainly was an expert on those.

The Reverend ranted for a good while on this and other racial aspects of America as he is wont to do at times – well, whenever given the opportunity, that is. He became quite agitated, building up a head of steam like seldom seen on national TV. Veins popped out on his neck as he claimed he saw the trickery involved with this cat. He fumed and spit and preached. It got so bad that his pompadour came completely undone - by the end of the show he looked more like Don King than the normally elegantly coiffured Reverend Al!

Well, the switchboards lit up on this one. Most were in favor of the cat and chastised Reverend Al for picking on her although some, mostly from Berkeley, sided with the irreverent reverend.

There was a storm of controversy about this poor little innocent cat. So intense was the outcry against the Reverend for finding a racist under every stone – especially in this case where ´Tawana Brawley´ was given as an example of the good Reverend´s sometimes misdirected exuberance.

The Reverend is a fair and politically astute man – mostly - and soon saw the futility of yet another fight; you could never win against a cute little black cat like her, he reasoned. The next day he made a full and complete apology to Ms Kitty. He did an ´Obama´ and renounced and rejected his previous statements.

All´s well that ends well. The apology was accepted. Life went on - except for the next controversy unleashed when it was reported that Ms Kitty´s father was Persian. Another story for another day which I will relate - including all the ramifications - in Chapter 5. Stay tuned.