It just seems like there isn’t anything that the perpetually offended classes won’t find an excuse to gripe about.

Miller Brewing is celebrating the “50th Anniversary of Rock ‘n’ Roll” with eight commemorative beer cans that feature Rolling Stone cover shots of Elvis Presley, Blondie and others.

What’s missing, some say, is a black artist.

Robert Thompson, a pop-culture professor at Syracuse University, called the absence “beyond conspicuous,” since black artists are often credited with inventing rock ‘n’ roll.

“It would be like doing a set of cans of six great Impressionist painters and not including any French people on it,” he said. “It leaves out an enormous amount.”

While it’s easy for people like this to look for the racist boogeyman under every rock, the truth in this situation is far less sinister.

“We didn’t even consciously think pro or con, the same way that the only woman on there is Blondie. We just went with the people that we thought were appropriate,” he said. “We went through [the covers] and said, ‘These people we don’t think are appropriate or wouldn’t appeal to Miller drinkers.’ “

Miller spokesman Scott Bussen said that the company started with a broad wish list but that its choices were limited to Rolling Stone covers.

…

Miller spokeswoman Molly Reilly said, “These are the artists that gave us approval to use their images on the beer cans.”