Friday column: And we’re evolving as a species — really?

Bernie Ecclestone, president and CEO of Formula One, said last week he has a preference for "strong leaders." Such as, Bernie?

Well, he mentioned former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Now, the “iron lady” wasn’t everyone’s cup of Earl Gray, but OK.

And he mentioned Max Mosley. The outgoing head of Formula One’s governing body is more problematic, having been photographed last year in an S&M session with hookers. But “different strokes,” I guess.

Anybody else?

Well, yes, unfortunately. Bernie went on to praise Hitler, saying he “got things done.”

Devastating one’s own country, overseeing the slaughter of six million Jews as well as other “undesirables,” and plunging the world into a war that ends an estimated 50 million lives certainly is getting things done.

“In a lot of ways, terrible to say this I suppose, but apart from the fact that Hitler got taken away and persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people, able to get things done,” Ecclestone said.

Persuaded to do things he had no idea whether he wanted to do or not? Bernie, you need to reread Mein Kampf; I’m sure you still have your copy somewhere.

Critics called Ecclestone’s comments “quite bizarre,” and Jewish Chronicle editor Stephen Pollard said Ecclestone was “either an idiot or morally repulsive.”

Actually, in Ecclestone’s case, I don’t believe the two are mutually exclusive.
Ecclestone later insisted it was all a “big misunderstanding,” and actually said, “Many of my closest friends are Jews.”

Not anymore, Bernie.

* * *

Ecclestone isn’t the only one into revisionist history.

Asked if the reputation of new teammate Ron Artest would be a problem, the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant flared.

“Where is that reputation coming from? Because he ran in the stands and kicked somebody’s (posterior)?” Bryant said. “You talk to anybody who played with him — he’s a great teammate, (will) never be a problem in the locker room. He had that one incident in Detroit, but outside of that, he’s not a problem at all.”

How about the time he was benched by the Pacers after asking for a month off to promote his rap album?

How about the games he missed as a King after his arrest for domestic violence?

How about the total of nine suspensions for a variety of offenses?

Artest’s Wikipedia entry includes a link to an ESPN Artest timeline, which lists 38 such instances of Artest being a “great teammate.”

Of course, it’s possible that in all these cases, he was taken away and persuaded to do them, and we have no idea whether he wanted to do them or not …