The veracity of Wilson’s charge may be confirmed in the months or years ahead, depending on the outcome of the political battle over health care. Technically, the plan does exclude illegal immigrants. But three problems remain. First, the plan contains no enforcement provisions. Second, regardless of the wording, some advocacy group will no doubt file a lawsuit in federal court to expand coverage to illegal immigrants. (Remember the court’s ruling on illegal immigrants and public schools!) And third, President Obama has proposed already his desire to put in place a process to legalize the immigrants living in the United States. Once they acquire citizenship, they will be eligible for participation in whatever health insurance plan emerges.

But his ejaculatory outburst certainly was premature. He should not have interrupted the President in the middle of his address. Representative Wilson should have responded later that night or the next day. He possesses ample communication vehicles for expressing his opposition--a press conference, a radio address or interview, a newspaper column, a web post, or a twitter. In one or more of those formats, Wilson could articulate clearly his claim that the President lies, his opposition to the President’s plan, and his support for a Republican alternative.

Interrupting the President in the middle an address exhibited more than simple rudeness and incivility. Wilson demeaned two of the institutions that our founding fathers created to provide a voice for the people in enacting the laws under which we live. Regardless of how one feels about our President or the current crop of legislators, conservatives of all people should uphold the dignity and respect for the presidency and the Congress.

Wilson was rude. Wilson was un-conservative. But was he racist? Some pundits believe so. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd wrote that what she heard was “You lie, Boy.” Dowd  claims that “Some people just can’t believe that a black man is president and will not accept it.” She offered up as evidence that Wilson belonged to the Sons of Confederate Veterans and supported the retention of the Confederate battle flag as part of the South Carolina state flag. Former President Jimmy Carter attracted the most attention. “ I think its based on racism, “ he remarked. “There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president.”

Well, probably some American do feel that way. But it is certainly a convoluted argument to claim that because some American’s feel that way, Rep. Wilson feels that way. Moreover, Wilson’s beliefs about race (and everything else for that matter) exist privately in his own mind. Until he expresses them or others contrive a way to gain access to the contents of another person’s mind, no one can really know them. A lot of reading between the lines of Wilson's two words took place. Dowd’s and Carter’s charges simply reveal the cynicism of liberals who seek to deflect opposition to the President by ascribing sinister motives to his opponents rather than actually engaging them.

West’s outburst, like Wilson’s, was premature. He, too, could have expressed his displeasure in other ways. He could call a press conference, post a blog, or twitter. He could even write a hip-hop lament about life and injustice in the entertainment ghetto of MTV. To burst on-stage during the acceptance speech of another performer, however, disrespects not only that performer, but also the music community of which Kanye himself is a member. Regardless of how one feels about today’s popular music, the performers, writers, and producers have instituted different means of awarding excellence in their particular fields. The MTV Video Awards presentation is one of them. The episode reveals not only reveals West’s egotism, but also his lack of respect for those whose profession he shares.

He later apologized. In a blog, he said he was “sooooo sorry.” But then he added this overlooked explanation for his outburst. “Everyone wanna boo me but I am a fan of real pop culture.” He did not elaborate exactly what that means. But reading between the lines--say like Maureen Dowd in her analysis of Rep. Wilson’s comments--it sounds just a little culturally insensitive. He appears to share a view of culture that sees tradtion white ( European or Western) cultures as bland or maybe vanilla in taste. And as a part of the dominant or establishment culture, it is, well, not as authentic as the various ethnic cultures in America. For Kanye, real pop culture means black culture.

Sooooo rude.

Sooooo sorry.

Sooooo racist.