My, how a year changes everything. My, how 400 years changes nothing.

In one night, the Boston Bruins descended from the defending Stanley Cup champions and the ultimate “made for the playoffs” squad into just another team upset in the firs round. In one night, the Washington Capitals went from that star-studded team that never could into a gritty, hard-working bunch of boys who just might.

And, in one – of several hundred – actions of disgusting racism, Joel Ward became the latest public figure to be assaulted by the internet.

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“Joel Ward targeted on Twitter after game-winning goal,” by SB Nation (April 25, 2012)

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We won’t re-print what was said by social media’s finest. We will tell you that Ward is black, and that the comments didn’t shy away from using the most taboo word you could ever think of to describe someone who is black.

In fact they used that one word – you know, it begins with an ‘N’ – at a premium. It was the focal point of their Tweets. The other 134 characters revolved around it.

They used it with more ignorance than a Dukes of Hazzard fan who defends the General Lee’s Confederate Flag roof, or the General Lee’s name… the General Lee.

This isn’t like the one fan in London, Ontario who threw a banana at Wayne Simmonds. This isn’t like the Steve Barch incident where he apparently might have said something that could have been taken as racist – and it’s highly believable that it was just an honest mistake with some improper phrasing using the word “banana.”

And, really, this is nothing like the roof of the General Lee.

This is one of the more despicable acts you could catch on Twitter. Actually, it’s the most despicable. Denying the Holocaust would be up there, too.

It’s shame we have to share a planet with some of these folks, but that’s just how it is.

As for Joel Ward, he’s the hero tonight. He’s the light. Remember that, above all else.