So, shortly after I did my last post I quarantined myself in case I'd possibly gotten coronavirus from all my court travels (I had a cold on March 5th). The next week, when I was feeling better, is when NYC went to hell in a handbasket. It actually happened on a Friday the 13th, a day that's usually a very good one for me. Overall, MY day was okay then since I didn't have to go grocery shopping. Later, I learned that during the week of March 9th is when a lot of attorneys were exposed to coronavirus & quite a few caught it. I gave up court assignments, even cancelled a deposition I was supposed to go to the morning I woke up with that cold. Funny thing is that on March 12th in particular, the courtroom of a judge who later died from coronavirus was completely packed. An attorney in that court had complained of the crowding and the judge had told the attorney "if you don't like it, you can leave." Isn't that interesting?
I'm glad I got my last bit of normalcy in seeing my sweetie and going to my friend's birthday party before the month changed to March. He actually warned me that "things are going to get bad in NYC." After the next week started, I restocked food I ate while doing my self-quaratine. Looking back, I feel like maybe I saved myself from getting coronavirus by sitting that week out. Other than getting meats, I was able to get a lot of things I wanted and managed to figure out what I was going to cook during this quarantine. I even got prepared to pay my rent for the next month, thinking I was going to sit this thing out in NYC.
Then my sister called me on March 21st, begging me to get out of NYC and come to NC. I was resistant to this idea since I'm not at my best in NC + I have a bad history with my hometown but my family made valid arguments and things weighed in favor of me going: my mother and BIL both had/still have essential jobs (my mom has 2, in fact), the courts were closed by that point so I had nothing requiring me to stay in NYC, my mom said "we'll feed you" so I didn't have to worry about food or the food costs like I would in NYC, I could go to my youngest niece's first birthday party and see 3 other kids who usually only get to see me at Christmas and Thanksgiving and were excited for me to show up and they have air conditioning, internet, large kitty cats I could cuddle with and I wouldn't be scaring my mother by staying in a room in NYC. Plus, my sister was dealing with having to homeschool 2 kids and watch a baby. I felt like I would be more useful in NC than I would be in NYC. NC also wasn't the virus epicenter and I didn't want my mother to get a stroke or have a heart attack from having to worry about me. Social life also wasn't happening for me in either place and, as I continue to remind myself, NYC isn't NYC right now. I still talk to people who are up there who've told me I don't need to rush back or that I don't want to be there right now or that it's a good thing I got out. I also felt that being in a state that respects 2nd Amendment rights and having access to firearms would also be better than staying in NYC, the land of leftist loons who think crime will be solved with hugs and cookies. Most of the rich people even fled NYC and I heard it said that everybody who had the option to leave NYC left.
To me, choosing to go to NC was very different from the situation in 2014 since this isn't me being a failure but opting to help family & engaging in basic common sense. So I boarded a nearly empty Amtrak train on March 22nd before shelter in place took effect. I did some videos of that experience. Penn Station was a ghost town. I also opted to take a Lyft to the station, wore a mask and got in the back. By the grace of God, I made it to NC, isolated as best I could for 2 weeks and never got sick. So far, all I've had in all this is allergies.
NC is not a mask wearing culture and I have a sister who can't wear them, not even for 30 minutes. I also have noticed mask fatigue setting in around here. One friend recently told me that's also happening in Manhattan. A plus is that NC is in Phase 2 while NYC just got to Phase 1 and is apparently starting Phase 2 soon but I don't know when I'm actually going to need to be back in NYC. Protests around here have also been peaceful instead of looting and violence fests like in NYC and elsewhere.
FYI, I don't do the performative bullcrap and pap gestures that are in vogue at the moment. I've noticed "Black Lives Matter" never includes the lives of black conservatives or black law enforcement officers or black people who aren't seeking special rights or black people who don't cheerlead things like community destruction and violence (say black business owners who've had their businesses destroyed or black employees who've now been forced to apply for unemployment in the face of months of backlog to get money). I also think the people jumping on this bandwagon are full of it since they should have been doing things decades beforehand and we know damn well they'll never actually DO anything. If my former business partner becomes a household name in Hollywood, then I'll take Hollywood seriously when they claim to be giving opportunities to minorities. I also thought to myself when this first started it was a communist takeover attempt and now they seem to be going full fascist. Some predict that after the elections, this will be a mere memory. I say if you think Biden is the truth and the way, you've not been paying attention since Minneapolis is ruled by DEMOCRATS as are many of the major cities. The reality of their lack of care for minorities is staggering and obvious to anybody with functioning brain cells (that leadership is the one who failed George Floyd with letting that cop stay on the force despite numerous complaints against him). Look at rich white liberals trying to push for reverse racism and lecturing about "privilege" to poor people and those who've actually got minority friends and contacts while they pander to black people and think them incapable of advocating for themselves.
As a rule, I have to block anybody who uses the term "white privilege" since that evidences not only complete disrespect to me as a natural redhead (a group STILL being trashed in today's society with no ACLU to advocate for it; do you think "redheaded stepchild" is a compliment????) but disrespect of my lived childhood and experiences which most certainly don't qualify as having "privilege." People who grew up around my neighborhood ended up getting criminal records, became drug users and made all kinds of "bad" choices (most if not all of them were white; the black people I knew from school grew up to be functional members of society and parents taking proper care of their kids -- some even ended up in roles of responsibility including a classmate who's a city councilman in my hometown). Years ago, I learned from my own experience (and had it confirmed in a sociology class) that it's really rich vs. poor. Plus, you're an idiot if you think lectures or threats motivate people to change their hearts or minds. Only real life experiences people have with one another do that. You also can't force people to talk to those outside their bubble or be friends with people they don't want to be friends with. It also doesn't help if the only things people have heard about a group are negative and then a real live member of that group proceeds to live up to all the worst stereotypes about that group. My family's been having those contacts and friends forever (and most of ours were positive so we can separate crappy people from an entire race/ethnic group) so I'll thank some rich white liberal not to lecture me on things they know zero about. That's just as bad as non-lawyers trying to tell me how to practice law.
Everybody's been equal in trying to get PPP loans or unemployment benefits. I had to wait around for that for quite sometime myself in NY (one tip: contact your local reps if you hadn't; my state senator's office was very good in that regard and I made a new contact in a very nice woman who seemed quite dedicated to making sure I'd get my money -- she called me back from home so I can't speak highly enough of my local senator's office). One lawyer I work with said he'd not been able to get PPP funding in the first round since the money was gone so quickly so I'm hoping he got into the second round.
A few other things have been going on: I had to buy summer clothes since I had none with me (why would I when it was 35 degrees when I left NYC & I packed to "stay home" not to go out and impress anyone?). I got a broadcast hosting gig on an online app called Bigo (go check it out), started my own podcast which is for now the same title as this blog (4 episodes so far & plans for at least 1 more). I also got in contact with a legal recruiter and a career coach who are trying to help me get a job in an entertainment company without me having to lie about being a BigLaw devotee or a T1 law graduate. I also happen to refuse to be some leftist toadie when I've actually had the conversations and done things these Judy Come Latelys haven't bothered with and without having to make a conscious effort like they have to (I guess it's the reality of being part of a minority with no tribe to hang out with since you definitely weren't "one of us" with white people if you grew up with red hair in my hometown in the era when Ariel first came out; gee, I'm the only person who looks like me in the room almost all the time even in NYC -- let's also look at how redheads are still stigmatized and treated in many corners in modern times). To me, things aren't worth it when you have to pretend to hold stances you don't or cater to someone else's echo chamber as I never require friends or contacts to agree with me on every single topic known to man (I just insist on factual argument and no personal attacks or expecting me to do YOUR damn homework). I fought that battle when I first joined the legal profession and so many people told me to just be me instead of some frumpy lawyer stereotype. This is no different in my mind.
I just wonder how many people will step up for decency and not equating minority status with God status. If we're doing that, well I'm more qualified for God status than most people since real redheads are a 1-2% global minority. Nobody's going to deny a marriage to 2 black people or 2 Asian people because the staff thinks you're marrying your sibling and assumes you're committing incest. If I walked in with a guy whose hair was bright like mine, I'd absolutely get that hassle since everybody assumes natural redheads are related to each other. We had a neighbor growing up who was also a redhead and people thought he was our little brother. If I don't think I've got God status for being a natural redhead, then nobody else gets to claim that status.
Equality isn't about special rights or freedom from being wrong or freedom from criticism. Equality is about an equal playing field and equal access, not handouts as of right. I say if you want reparations, make George Soros pay them. That way, everybody wins. He's got more than enough, he'd no longer get to fund dissention if he paid them and it's the least he + his ilk could do. We need more Nipsey Hustles in the world (look up what he did for his community before being killed) and prosecution for false 911 calls for black people doing normal stuff like having cookouts or walking down the street not politicians taking knees instead of actually DOING their jobs to help ALL people in their districts (notice it's Democrats who've been peddling handouts for eons instead of self-sufficiency or enough for people to save up and improve themselves in this game we call life).
Yeah, I have lots of reasons I can't relate to SJW lefist snowflakes and don't respect them at all. This blog and I am not for those types. Before all this, I was thinking an exodus from NYC would be in my future. If I don't get a full time job there or work requiring me to be there it just might happen; I've got a 5 year plan. I'm not even sure NYC will be NYC again in the near future and I came to NYC for the old school, ambitious, working your way forward, people of all types coming together in common goals NYC not the whiny snowflake NYC that looks like Mad Max + cares more about statues than improving subway service or encouraging businesses to set up shop and hire locals. I'm glad I get to talk to my sweetie on occasion, that my gay bestie and another gay friend have gotten a federal court win in the change in discrimination laws and both friends and 3 guys have been awaiting my return to NYC (which I'm still not exactly sure when that will be; I'm just making the best of my situation in the meantime and declaring it an extended vacation away from sweaty subway platforms).
One goal I have before I leave is passing Zelda II on NES. I just got to the 4th castle (of 6) and know how to beat the enemy but it's a matter of proper execution. It's definitely not as good a game as the first Zelda but I've figured out tactics. I also reluctantly got some Apple AirPods (they were on sale) but they are useful while I'm down here dealing with family and trying to watch broadcasts on Bigo or play SongPop 2 while my phone is charging. I just tested them out with my iPod and they have a heck of a range with where your item they're connected to is vs. where you go. I was feeling blue earlier but this needed and long overdue post has done me some good. Trying not to feel like I'm horribly lazy when I don't get all the tasks done I set out to do in a day or sleep much later than I normally would if I were working. I wanted a break when I was working so it's like "here you go; now what are you going to do?" I'm also trying to prioritize family time and not being lost in devices.
My final words: stop reading mainstream media and get the heck off Facebook. Focus on your real life connections and family. Look at the advantages you've got in this time and use them.
Showing posts with label minorities. Show all posts
Showing posts with label minorities. Show all posts
Friday, June 19, 2020
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
A Word About Racism & the Greek System
I was just reading this article about the SAE incident. For those not familiar with it, someone on the party bus of this chapter at the University of Oklahoma decided to videotape & post a video of this fraternity singing a racist chant. The school reacted by getting rid of the chapter, expelling people & the national office came down on them as well. Big controversy in some corners of the world.
The author actually cited an incident that happened at my school. I remember it well since I was a sophomore at the time, a member of the Greek system (though we may not have even been a chapter by that point & didn't have a house) and found the whole incident appalling. Coming from Winston Salem, NC & a high school class that was 50/50 black to white along with having many good friends who were never "tokens" but simply my black friends who weren't cutting me down behind my back like plenty of white bitches in my class, I didn't get the whole racism of these guys. I've always felt like other minorities can understand each other in a way people who aren't don't get. It might be a different story & different struggles but there's still knowing what it's like to be ostracized, bullied, harassed & having an "otherness" about you that likely explains why I've had lots of friends who wouldn't be candidates for membership into the Aryan Nation or WASP.
For the record, the major offender in that incident was not SAE like this story portrays. Perhaps there were racists there or immature guys simply joining in out of peer pressure or drunken stupidity but the real offenders were this other fraternity that draped themselves in the Confederate flag on a regular basis & called themselves "Southern gentlemen." I also wasn't personally present to see this since I was in my dorm room & then read about it later when the Black Student Association at my school publicized it.
SAE was not a fraternity that my black male co-worker at the campus museum said he wouldn't set foot in for fear of being harmed while the one I mentioned as the major offender (and the reason I had nothing to do with Oglethorpe for many years) was. These were his words, not mine.
Oh, and lest you think it's a Southern Greek system thing or that sororities always side with the frats it's not & we don't. My own sisters were just as appalled by the whole thing, especially the ones from outside of Georgia who were not used to seeing this blatant racism in their faces. We were equal opportunity & started out running the gamut in terms of our membership; I & at least one other founding member would be livid if that weren't true in our chapter today. I've seen that equal opportunity reflected in other chapters and among other alumnae I've met over the years. I don't think a single one, regardless of where her chapter was, would be siding with the behavior of the frats in this story.
There was another incident my senior year involving KA concerning their Greek Week skit & Antisemitic remarks among other offensive things (again, not present for that one; I was working in my telephone interviewing job at the time--I heard about this from my own sisters). Aside from my own sorority sisters (some of whom were Jewish), a number of girls in another sorority (who also had Jewish members) were quite ticked off about that as I recall.
Now I support free speech but I don't support speech without consequences & you bet if you uttered a racial slur around me, you'd get hell for it considering you're trashing dear friends of mine, business associates and some people who were actually there for me in life while your sorry ass probably wasn't. I'm glad to see this university taking action; my school let KA get away with shit for years. They were far too lenient on them, especially considering we were supposed to be a "liberal arts" school.
I never had issues with the other frats. I didn't go to SAE & feel like I wasn't welcome or an outsider. Guys who were members there were nice to me; I remember one of their members once telling me I was welcome there anytime. In fact, I got that kindness at every frat other than the racist one. Our newer members got along with some members there but I remember we older ones didn't feel welcome or like we had a place there. Guess we figured Southern gentlemen exempt loudmouth feminists from their "gentlemanly" behavior. At least, I felt that way.
Oglethorpe was trying to increase their black student enrollment when I was there. With the presence of that frat & a number of well known and well regarded black schools in Atlanta, I didn't blame black kids for not wanting to enroll in the racist pit that I saw Oglethorpe being at the time. I was also pissed since I didn't enroll there to endorse racism or have it shoved in my face; I came there for the academics & the experience of living in a major city.
My attitudes on race are more nuanced since I know racism isn't just a white thing. It's an everybody thing. I also lived a lot of things in my youth & had parents who taught me better than some of these people's parents must have. No one was a "token" with my parents & if they called you a friend of theirs, you were lucky especially with my mother since she's semi-reclusive. I still wish we were in touch with my father's truck driver friend (who was half black, half Native American) since I wanted him to know about my father's passing & be able to pay his respects. They were really good friends & we actually went to his house, a rarity with my parents' friends. He wasn't one of my father's drinking buddies & my mom actually liked him and his wife.
I'm skeptical of the whole "educating" people idea unless maybe it involves having to deal with direct confrontation or just dealing with people in day to day life & seeing they're really not so different from you. Kind of like that episode of The Boondocks where Uncle Ruckus meets that country music singer who's a total racist & they get along so well in their racism of black people, they do a duet. Granted, Ruckus claims to have the reverse skin condition of Michael Jackson & that's he's really a white guy but it's an example of why The Boondocks is pure genius in its social commentary. See the first three seasons for yourself; I didn't see much of the fourth so I can't speak on that one. Overall, I feel like when people are adults, they are set on certain things & sometimes so much so even death, poverty or divorce won't change them. Death didn't change my ex though it did change me. Losing stability also changed me in some ways though perhaps it also amplified what I already had. You can carve out exceptions for people you befriend or meet but it's very hard to change things like racism or homophobia & you can't do it in a commanding fashion or by forcing change. You have to do it in more subtle ways.
You have to show examples of people who aren't living up to the negative stereotypes. I also think a huge key is showing how we're the same. There are universals to human experience in my view. Death, kids, animals, weather (good or bad), parents, authority figures, the incompetence of our "elected" officials, that kind of thing.
The author actually cited an incident that happened at my school. I remember it well since I was a sophomore at the time, a member of the Greek system (though we may not have even been a chapter by that point & didn't have a house) and found the whole incident appalling. Coming from Winston Salem, NC & a high school class that was 50/50 black to white along with having many good friends who were never "tokens" but simply my black friends who weren't cutting me down behind my back like plenty of white bitches in my class, I didn't get the whole racism of these guys. I've always felt like other minorities can understand each other in a way people who aren't don't get. It might be a different story & different struggles but there's still knowing what it's like to be ostracized, bullied, harassed & having an "otherness" about you that likely explains why I've had lots of friends who wouldn't be candidates for membership into the Aryan Nation or WASP.
For the record, the major offender in that incident was not SAE like this story portrays. Perhaps there were racists there or immature guys simply joining in out of peer pressure or drunken stupidity but the real offenders were this other fraternity that draped themselves in the Confederate flag on a regular basis & called themselves "Southern gentlemen." I also wasn't personally present to see this since I was in my dorm room & then read about it later when the Black Student Association at my school publicized it.
SAE was not a fraternity that my black male co-worker at the campus museum said he wouldn't set foot in for fear of being harmed while the one I mentioned as the major offender (and the reason I had nothing to do with Oglethorpe for many years) was. These were his words, not mine.
Oh, and lest you think it's a Southern Greek system thing or that sororities always side with the frats it's not & we don't. My own sisters were just as appalled by the whole thing, especially the ones from outside of Georgia who were not used to seeing this blatant racism in their faces. We were equal opportunity & started out running the gamut in terms of our membership; I & at least one other founding member would be livid if that weren't true in our chapter today. I've seen that equal opportunity reflected in other chapters and among other alumnae I've met over the years. I don't think a single one, regardless of where her chapter was, would be siding with the behavior of the frats in this story.
There was another incident my senior year involving KA concerning their Greek Week skit & Antisemitic remarks among other offensive things (again, not present for that one; I was working in my telephone interviewing job at the time--I heard about this from my own sisters). Aside from my own sorority sisters (some of whom were Jewish), a number of girls in another sorority (who also had Jewish members) were quite ticked off about that as I recall.
Now I support free speech but I don't support speech without consequences & you bet if you uttered a racial slur around me, you'd get hell for it considering you're trashing dear friends of mine, business associates and some people who were actually there for me in life while your sorry ass probably wasn't. I'm glad to see this university taking action; my school let KA get away with shit for years. They were far too lenient on them, especially considering we were supposed to be a "liberal arts" school.
I never had issues with the other frats. I didn't go to SAE & feel like I wasn't welcome or an outsider. Guys who were members there were nice to me; I remember one of their members once telling me I was welcome there anytime. In fact, I got that kindness at every frat other than the racist one. Our newer members got along with some members there but I remember we older ones didn't feel welcome or like we had a place there. Guess we figured Southern gentlemen exempt loudmouth feminists from their "gentlemanly" behavior. At least, I felt that way.
Oglethorpe was trying to increase their black student enrollment when I was there. With the presence of that frat & a number of well known and well regarded black schools in Atlanta, I didn't blame black kids for not wanting to enroll in the racist pit that I saw Oglethorpe being at the time. I was also pissed since I didn't enroll there to endorse racism or have it shoved in my face; I came there for the academics & the experience of living in a major city.
My attitudes on race are more nuanced since I know racism isn't just a white thing. It's an everybody thing. I also lived a lot of things in my youth & had parents who taught me better than some of these people's parents must have. No one was a "token" with my parents & if they called you a friend of theirs, you were lucky especially with my mother since she's semi-reclusive. I still wish we were in touch with my father's truck driver friend (who was half black, half Native American) since I wanted him to know about my father's passing & be able to pay his respects. They were really good friends & we actually went to his house, a rarity with my parents' friends. He wasn't one of my father's drinking buddies & my mom actually liked him and his wife.
I'm skeptical of the whole "educating" people idea unless maybe it involves having to deal with direct confrontation or just dealing with people in day to day life & seeing they're really not so different from you. Kind of like that episode of The Boondocks where Uncle Ruckus meets that country music singer who's a total racist & they get along so well in their racism of black people, they do a duet. Granted, Ruckus claims to have the reverse skin condition of Michael Jackson & that's he's really a white guy but it's an example of why The Boondocks is pure genius in its social commentary. See the first three seasons for yourself; I didn't see much of the fourth so I can't speak on that one. Overall, I feel like when people are adults, they are set on certain things & sometimes so much so even death, poverty or divorce won't change them. Death didn't change my ex though it did change me. Losing stability also changed me in some ways though perhaps it also amplified what I already had. You can carve out exceptions for people you befriend or meet but it's very hard to change things like racism or homophobia & you can't do it in a commanding fashion or by forcing change. You have to do it in more subtle ways.
You have to show examples of people who aren't living up to the negative stereotypes. I also think a huge key is showing how we're the same. There are universals to human experience in my view. Death, kids, animals, weather (good or bad), parents, authority figures, the incompetence of our "elected" officials, that kind of thing.
Monday, September 5, 2011
What Did Blonds Ever Do To Us???
I'm about to tell you about a phenomenon that you're fully familiar with if you're a natural redhead: the dislike of blonds. For those who aren't natural redheads, let me give you some perspective.
1. When you're growing up as a natural redhead, you get a legion of people who put you down for it. I remember getting downright tormented by male classmates. I also heard from a guy once "I'd think you were pretty if you were a blonde."
I thought I'd been the only one until I read a story in Seventeen magazine as a teenager where the story author was a natural redhead talking about her experience growing up as a redhead. She had a guy tell her the VERY same thing.
So blonde, in a redhead's mind, is = to "society's ideal that I'm not." Hearing it enough really makes you chafe against it. Even some little girls will try to push blonde hair color onto redheads or make you feel like less of a person because you're a redhead.
2. Segments of society insult redheads. Consider the saying "Blonds have more fun." Who came up with that? Or "redheaded stepchild?" It wasn't a redhead, that's for sure. If you'd hung around me in college (oh, hell if you hung around me now), you'd know that was total bullshit. The blonds I knew had to actually put in effort to get guys to talk to them. They had to flirt. I never did. To my knowledge, I'm the only one with that power & I'm sure some people who've seen it would tell you that it's because I'm a redhead. Presumably, redheads have magic guy catching powers.
There are also men who hate redheads & claim we're ugly. One of these men was none other than Psycho Boy, if you can believe it. He said he hated redheads before meeting me. Had no sexual interest in them but when it was me, he was practically a damn stalker!
Is it any wonder I preferred dark haired guys? I'd have been all set if I'd gone to school with Italian guys but sadly, there were none in NC when I lived there. Blond haired guys also never talked to me & typically never viewed me as a romantic prospect.
And is it any wonder I had a lot of friends who weren't white when I was growing up? See, if you're a redhead you're the target of insult. I always spoke to whoever was nice to me & I figure the people who were my friends were dealing with similar garbage from the white kids so we had some common ground + common enemies. This is why if there were a natural redhead takeover, racial minorities would be fine.
Plus, they never looked at me like I was some alien from outer space. You feel like people think that about you, especially if you're around other redheads. Going out with my own family has garnered those looks. I'm more aware of being the only redhead than of being the only white person in a room.
3. Mainstream entertainment puts redheads down on a regular basis. How many natural redheads have actually become famous? Now, how many blonds and brunettes? Who's seen as the "industry type?" Certainly not redheads & I definitely don't think some blond is better looking than me, thank you very much. If anything, that blonde would more likely compliment my hair. I also think redheads are far more special & noticeable.
By the way, I define a natural redhead as someone who's never been any color but red. A real redhead would be murdered for changing her hair color. I've certainly been threatened with it & I get compliments on my hair nearly every time I walk into a hair salon. No decent beautician would ever dye it for me since they'd view it as a crime against nature.
Now I know finding natural redheads is next to impossible. Yes, I know it's only natural for 1% of the world's population. I don't envy anyone having to find a stand in for me if I had a role requiring that. But if you know redheaded actors & you're taking fake ones for parts, it does piss me off. It's the same feeling that I'm sure black people, Asian people, Hispanic people & others had when Hollywood was having white people pretend to be them instead of looking for actors who fit those characteristics.
The Millionaire Matchmaker apparently even had the gall to insult redheads, implying we were inferior and second class. Ha! The bitch hosting that one should see me out someplace, where I totally don't act like someone trying to find a guy & have guys approach me whether I like it or not.
Plus, the experience of being a natural redhead is very different from dyeing your hair the color later in life. You aren't coming into it with the baggage and the hassle a natural redhead had to go through. You're making a choice vs. having it inflicted upon you. You didn't have your mother tell you you couldn't dye your hair until you were 18. Nor did you have to go through life feeling like you had a proverbial spotlight fixed on you at all times.
It's no coincidence or shocker that natural redheads don't wish red hair on their kids, especially if that kid's going to be a boy. Red-haired guys have it even worse. At least women can get jobs as models or be viewed as "exotic."
Not to mention Manswers proclaims red-haired women are the best in bed, more sexually adventurous and get laid more often (vs. both blondes & brunettes). There are also fewer prudes in our ranks. This is WOMEN, though. Not sure whether this is true about men since such stories only go to women.
So, tell me again that blondes have more fun. Sounds like the men who hate redheads need to start listening to Manswers. I'm not going to confirm or deny the truth of those statements but let's just say that stereotypes about anything exist because some people do live up to them. Otherwise, they wouldn't exist.
Hopefully after reading this, you non-redheads out there will show some respect to the natural redheads you know. I find it funny Chelsea Handler says the same thing about red-haired guys that I've been saying for years. Only difference is no one would think she was committing incest if she dated one.
1. When you're growing up as a natural redhead, you get a legion of people who put you down for it. I remember getting downright tormented by male classmates. I also heard from a guy once "I'd think you were pretty if you were a blonde."
I thought I'd been the only one until I read a story in Seventeen magazine as a teenager where the story author was a natural redhead talking about her experience growing up as a redhead. She had a guy tell her the VERY same thing.
So blonde, in a redhead's mind, is = to "society's ideal that I'm not." Hearing it enough really makes you chafe against it. Even some little girls will try to push blonde hair color onto redheads or make you feel like less of a person because you're a redhead.
2. Segments of society insult redheads. Consider the saying "Blonds have more fun." Who came up with that? Or "redheaded stepchild?" It wasn't a redhead, that's for sure. If you'd hung around me in college (oh, hell if you hung around me now), you'd know that was total bullshit. The blonds I knew had to actually put in effort to get guys to talk to them. They had to flirt. I never did. To my knowledge, I'm the only one with that power & I'm sure some people who've seen it would tell you that it's because I'm a redhead. Presumably, redheads have magic guy catching powers.
There are also men who hate redheads & claim we're ugly. One of these men was none other than Psycho Boy, if you can believe it. He said he hated redheads before meeting me. Had no sexual interest in them but when it was me, he was practically a damn stalker!
Is it any wonder I preferred dark haired guys? I'd have been all set if I'd gone to school with Italian guys but sadly, there were none in NC when I lived there. Blond haired guys also never talked to me & typically never viewed me as a romantic prospect.
And is it any wonder I had a lot of friends who weren't white when I was growing up? See, if you're a redhead you're the target of insult. I always spoke to whoever was nice to me & I figure the people who were my friends were dealing with similar garbage from the white kids so we had some common ground + common enemies. This is why if there were a natural redhead takeover, racial minorities would be fine.
Plus, they never looked at me like I was some alien from outer space. You feel like people think that about you, especially if you're around other redheads. Going out with my own family has garnered those looks. I'm more aware of being the only redhead than of being the only white person in a room.
3. Mainstream entertainment puts redheads down on a regular basis. How many natural redheads have actually become famous? Now, how many blonds and brunettes? Who's seen as the "industry type?" Certainly not redheads & I definitely don't think some blond is better looking than me, thank you very much. If anything, that blonde would more likely compliment my hair. I also think redheads are far more special & noticeable.
By the way, I define a natural redhead as someone who's never been any color but red. A real redhead would be murdered for changing her hair color. I've certainly been threatened with it & I get compliments on my hair nearly every time I walk into a hair salon. No decent beautician would ever dye it for me since they'd view it as a crime against nature.
Now I know finding natural redheads is next to impossible. Yes, I know it's only natural for 1% of the world's population. I don't envy anyone having to find a stand in for me if I had a role requiring that. But if you know redheaded actors & you're taking fake ones for parts, it does piss me off. It's the same feeling that I'm sure black people, Asian people, Hispanic people & others had when Hollywood was having white people pretend to be them instead of looking for actors who fit those characteristics.
The Millionaire Matchmaker apparently even had the gall to insult redheads, implying we were inferior and second class. Ha! The bitch hosting that one should see me out someplace, where I totally don't act like someone trying to find a guy & have guys approach me whether I like it or not.
Plus, the experience of being a natural redhead is very different from dyeing your hair the color later in life. You aren't coming into it with the baggage and the hassle a natural redhead had to go through. You're making a choice vs. having it inflicted upon you. You didn't have your mother tell you you couldn't dye your hair until you were 18. Nor did you have to go through life feeling like you had a proverbial spotlight fixed on you at all times.
It's no coincidence or shocker that natural redheads don't wish red hair on their kids, especially if that kid's going to be a boy. Red-haired guys have it even worse. At least women can get jobs as models or be viewed as "exotic."
Not to mention Manswers proclaims red-haired women are the best in bed, more sexually adventurous and get laid more often (vs. both blondes & brunettes). There are also fewer prudes in our ranks. This is WOMEN, though. Not sure whether this is true about men since such stories only go to women.
So, tell me again that blondes have more fun. Sounds like the men who hate redheads need to start listening to Manswers. I'm not going to confirm or deny the truth of those statements but let's just say that stereotypes about anything exist because some people do live up to them. Otherwise, they wouldn't exist.
Hopefully after reading this, you non-redheads out there will show some respect to the natural redheads you know. I find it funny Chelsea Handler says the same thing about red-haired guys that I've been saying for years. Only difference is no one would think she was committing incest if she dated one.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Whose Injustice Was Worse & Why That's a Stupid Argument
Earlier this week, I witnessed a very ugly incident that shouldn't have happened. How come?
A) It happened in Manhattan of NYC
B) It was at a restaurant where gay pride flags were proudly displayed
C) The person who was racist was a drag queen
D) The drag queen was a member of a minority group
The manager claims this host will be out. Regardless of apologies and so forth from this restaurant, we vow not to return if this person continues to be the host. There's teasing & there's downright racism. Nor would I plan future film company events there; after all, we are not a group that cares about skin color, sexual orientation or practices that don't affect our business or our lives. We want people to feel WELCOME around us.
As we left, one drunk black woman (who may have been the one who did a God awful version of the song "Sweet Thing") dared to try holding up a yardstick to her own minority group's experiences in racism.
Here is an example of a stupid pissing contest: trying to claim that your ethnic group faced more discrimination than another oppressed group.
For one thing, unless YOU PERSONALLY experienced A) slavery, B) segregation, C) any other harm that occurred to your ethic group but not you personally, do not talk to me about it like it's your personal harm. I will tell you you're looking damn good to be over 200 years old if you bitch to me about slavery. Unless you were ever made to sit on the back of the bus, shut up.
Guess what? When you bitch about things you didn't actually live, you belittle the people who actually did experience that stuff. You wouldn't have opportunities today if your ancestors didn't stand up to that stuff & go through extremely shitty events to do it. Internalizing things you didn't live is, in my book, trying to compare yourself to those people & saying you're just as much a victim as them.
You aren't!! If I was your ancestor & had gone through the things you were internalizing, I would come back and give you a massive supernatural beat down.
Fight your own damn battles! Talk to me about events that happened to you like dealings with the law or the government. Talk to me about employer discrimination. There's still plenty of racism going on in America & I'm sure you've got a real experience to talk about. Don't talk to me about slavery or segregation when you're the same age as me unless you actually lived that stuff. It sure as hell wasn't an institution in the 1980s & 1990s!
Arguing for slavery reparations just weakens any attempt to fix racism in this country. Do you support reparations to Native Americans since the government stole their land & they continue to go through problems? What about reparations to Holocaust survivors? How about reparations to Italian Americans who were held in concentration camps during World War II (yes, that did happen since my husband learned that from his grandfather who himself was Italian & fought in that war)? Japanese Americans who were also in concentration camps during World War II? A lot of that stuff happened MUCH later. If you don't support those reparations as well, then you're a hypocrite.
I find the "oh, poor me I'm such a victim of discrimination" arguments to be stupid. For one thing, there's always someone who's got it worse than you be it in racist encounters or life as a whole. Second, how about getting off your ass & fighting it instead of whining? No one wants to hear it. Finally, why all the hate on that? How about respecting others & treating them as you'd want to be treated? When you go back to the very beginning, we're all related in some way.
And you know something else? Natural redheads are a far greater minority than anybody else. There's 1% of us. You want to talk about stereotypes? I can name you a dozen. Do you want to claim people look at you like you're from another planet? I get that in far more places than you. I'm usually the only redhead when I go somewhere; often the only natural one. I also get just as much outcast treatment as anybody else; that's probably why I've not had very many white friends.
Oh, and does everyone think you're related to every other person in your race? I'm sure there are parts of this country where that doesn't happen. Not true for natural redheads. I'd have to go to Ireland or Scotland & even then, I'm not sure if people would still think you're related to all the natural redheads. I'll tell you if I ever get to go; I feel like it would be interesting to be in the majority for a change.
We even had a school system ban our hair color in the past year! So we've been discriminated against as well. Not to mention South Park lampooned us.
Finally, no one's going to accuse you of incest if you date someone in your race. If I dated a red haired guy, people would think I was sleeping with my brother. I'm sure if you went to get a marriage license, the clerk would probably try to stop you since people would think "2 natural redheads. They must be related!" We had a neighbor who was a redhead & everyone thought he was our little brother when we all played outside. It was a reason I never dated red haired guys; I didn't want to go through that hassle + I don't think most red haired guys are even remotely attractive. You can call me a traitor on that one but we all know it's true. If you're a red haired guy who's attractive, you're a very rare breed.
So, yeah redheads don't like being lumped in with the white people. Especially the blonds. Oh, God the blonds!! That's another entry, though.
See why I have plans to create a scholarship only for natural redheads? I don't care what color your skin is; you just have to be a natural redhead. I read something about a very young black girl who was a natural redhead (I think she was 3 at the time I read it). Ask her about the natural redhead experience when she's 18; I'm sure she could tell you worse things.
A) It happened in Manhattan of NYC
B) It was at a restaurant where gay pride flags were proudly displayed
C) The person who was racist was a drag queen
D) The drag queen was a member of a minority group
The manager claims this host will be out. Regardless of apologies and so forth from this restaurant, we vow not to return if this person continues to be the host. There's teasing & there's downright racism. Nor would I plan future film company events there; after all, we are not a group that cares about skin color, sexual orientation or practices that don't affect our business or our lives. We want people to feel WELCOME around us.
As we left, one drunk black woman (who may have been the one who did a God awful version of the song "Sweet Thing") dared to try holding up a yardstick to her own minority group's experiences in racism.
Here is an example of a stupid pissing contest: trying to claim that your ethnic group faced more discrimination than another oppressed group.
For one thing, unless YOU PERSONALLY experienced A) slavery, B) segregation, C) any other harm that occurred to your ethic group but not you personally, do not talk to me about it like it's your personal harm. I will tell you you're looking damn good to be over 200 years old if you bitch to me about slavery. Unless you were ever made to sit on the back of the bus, shut up.
Guess what? When you bitch about things you didn't actually live, you belittle the people who actually did experience that stuff. You wouldn't have opportunities today if your ancestors didn't stand up to that stuff & go through extremely shitty events to do it. Internalizing things you didn't live is, in my book, trying to compare yourself to those people & saying you're just as much a victim as them.
You aren't!! If I was your ancestor & had gone through the things you were internalizing, I would come back and give you a massive supernatural beat down.
Fight your own damn battles! Talk to me about events that happened to you like dealings with the law or the government. Talk to me about employer discrimination. There's still plenty of racism going on in America & I'm sure you've got a real experience to talk about. Don't talk to me about slavery or segregation when you're the same age as me unless you actually lived that stuff. It sure as hell wasn't an institution in the 1980s & 1990s!
Arguing for slavery reparations just weakens any attempt to fix racism in this country. Do you support reparations to Native Americans since the government stole their land & they continue to go through problems? What about reparations to Holocaust survivors? How about reparations to Italian Americans who were held in concentration camps during World War II (yes, that did happen since my husband learned that from his grandfather who himself was Italian & fought in that war)? Japanese Americans who were also in concentration camps during World War II? A lot of that stuff happened MUCH later. If you don't support those reparations as well, then you're a hypocrite.
I find the "oh, poor me I'm such a victim of discrimination" arguments to be stupid. For one thing, there's always someone who's got it worse than you be it in racist encounters or life as a whole. Second, how about getting off your ass & fighting it instead of whining? No one wants to hear it. Finally, why all the hate on that? How about respecting others & treating them as you'd want to be treated? When you go back to the very beginning, we're all related in some way.
And you know something else? Natural redheads are a far greater minority than anybody else. There's 1% of us. You want to talk about stereotypes? I can name you a dozen. Do you want to claim people look at you like you're from another planet? I get that in far more places than you. I'm usually the only redhead when I go somewhere; often the only natural one. I also get just as much outcast treatment as anybody else; that's probably why I've not had very many white friends.
Oh, and does everyone think you're related to every other person in your race? I'm sure there are parts of this country where that doesn't happen. Not true for natural redheads. I'd have to go to Ireland or Scotland & even then, I'm not sure if people would still think you're related to all the natural redheads. I'll tell you if I ever get to go; I feel like it would be interesting to be in the majority for a change.
We even had a school system ban our hair color in the past year! So we've been discriminated against as well. Not to mention South Park lampooned us.
Finally, no one's going to accuse you of incest if you date someone in your race. If I dated a red haired guy, people would think I was sleeping with my brother. I'm sure if you went to get a marriage license, the clerk would probably try to stop you since people would think "2 natural redheads. They must be related!" We had a neighbor who was a redhead & everyone thought he was our little brother when we all played outside. It was a reason I never dated red haired guys; I didn't want to go through that hassle + I don't think most red haired guys are even remotely attractive. You can call me a traitor on that one but we all know it's true. If you're a red haired guy who's attractive, you're a very rare breed.
So, yeah redheads don't like being lumped in with the white people. Especially the blonds. Oh, God the blonds!! That's another entry, though.
See why I have plans to create a scholarship only for natural redheads? I don't care what color your skin is; you just have to be a natural redhead. I read something about a very young black girl who was a natural redhead (I think she was 3 at the time I read it). Ask her about the natural redhead experience when she's 18; I'm sure she could tell you worse things.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Stuff That Pisses Me Off
Well, actually that's pretty much what this blog is about: my railing against things that piss me off. So here's some more stories I found & wish to comment on. But first, a small digression.
I'm delighted that I do not work in a District Attorney's office or have to appear in one for my job. I just read that they found bedbugs in both the Brooklyn & Bronx District Attorney's offices. Just like other critters creep me the hell out, bedbugs are definitely on that list. Maybe I'm fortunate in not having a day job where I could end up bringing bedbugs into my house.
So without further adieu:
This is just a smart idea, though I think it's intrusive on teachers. I know if I were a student, I wouldn't want to friend my teacher on Facebook. I think it's the equivalent of friending your boss at work. Now if you're not in the teacher's class anymore & have to worry about the teacher flunking you, go right ahead.
This bitch should NOT be getting police protection. I say that current animal cruelty laws are absurd & anyone who'd put a cat in a trash can should be hogtied, then thrown into a huge dumpster filled with rats & vermin. We have a moral code that supersedes what the laws on the books say; just because animal abusers have bought off politicians doesn't mean we should let them slide. Stuff like that makes me support vigilante tactics in certain situations.
Now you know the school's only doing this b/c the media heard about it. How many other school districts in Mississippi & around the country are still segregating school elections? Note that in this little system, they didn't allow black students to run for president. And what if you were neither black nor white? Tough shit if you're Asian, Hispanic, Native American, mixed race or some other ethic group that's not "black" or "white"?
This is why I think peers or rational managers should conduct job interviews. A lot of these are signs of nervousness & any interviewer who wants a candidate who isn't nervous should get drunken, stoned & cocky applicants until they wise up. Did you know job interviews only account for 1% of a person's actual job performance? Psychological study covered this; learned about it in college.
I'd rather have someone's who is nervous (evidence of being a human being) instead of a cocky, self-important asshole or someone too drunk or stoned to answer a simple question.
Classic infantile behavior. I'm with Disney on this one; they made reasonable accommodations & this woman isn't taking a position away from the public or wearing what was provided. She could ask for a different design of the head covering instead of filing a lawsuit. You don't get to use your religion to impede an employer's business establishment; nor are you entitled to a particular job. So either take a different position where you can dress as you wish or find another job. In short, grow up & stop hurting your fellow Muslims' chances of getting employment by making everyone think all of them act like you.
This is apparently a hot issue on the Internet. I've only see a few people speaking on it that I know personally, including a bar association I belong to. Frankly, I'm in agreement w/those who say it should be in a different location. It's downright tacky to say you want to mend fences but in the face of location opposition, dig in your heels & say "Hell, no!! It's going here whether you like it or not." Nor do I think a few 9/11 families speak for every single person who was personally affected by 9/11.
I'm also no friend of Bloomberg's considering he was going to lay off 1/3 of the public library work force (including my own spouse) without batting an eye, is against indie filmmakers by trying to institute costly filming permits to shoot on city streets & generally is no friend to people who aren't mega-millionaires. Generally, if he's supporting something, I figure it's probably going to harm me or someone I care about.
I agree w/the Republicans who say it's not racist or anti-anyone to express your free speech rights to the contrary of the media & liberals. Free speech goes both ways, people. I also hesitate to remain in one bar association that comes down on a view I disagree with on the issue though they're actually a better deal than most of them & apparently more enlightened on their views.
It's not a "live or die" issue w/me but I think a different spot in the city would be better & save the people involved the headache, agony + grief of public hatred, especially when the opposition feels it's being ignored. You know someone's going to vandalize it if it ever goes up. Consider this event:
And I'll bet this cab driver was not some terrorist supporter or sympathizer but just someone trying to earn an honest living. I've not taken many cabs but none of the cab drivers have ever done anything to deserve getting stabbed by a passenger. At least, not to cause me to do it. In fact, there are some awesome drivers who'll get you to your destination in record time (especially if you're going to an airport or train station).
Guess what? Not every Muslim is a terrorist just as not all Christians are assholes. Judge people based on they treat you, not their religion, race or other factors that don't tell you the whole story. I still wonder what made the stabber do it, though.
At least the Muslims have an excuse for not speaking out against the radical fringe; they'd be murdered. What's the excuse for Christians? They don't have that code in their faith. At least I know sane Christians.
I'm delighted that I do not work in a District Attorney's office or have to appear in one for my job. I just read that they found bedbugs in both the Brooklyn & Bronx District Attorney's offices. Just like other critters creep me the hell out, bedbugs are definitely on that list. Maybe I'm fortunate in not having a day job where I could end up bringing bedbugs into my house.
So without further adieu:
This is just a smart idea, though I think it's intrusive on teachers. I know if I were a student, I wouldn't want to friend my teacher on Facebook. I think it's the equivalent of friending your boss at work. Now if you're not in the teacher's class anymore & have to worry about the teacher flunking you, go right ahead.
This bitch should NOT be getting police protection. I say that current animal cruelty laws are absurd & anyone who'd put a cat in a trash can should be hogtied, then thrown into a huge dumpster filled with rats & vermin. We have a moral code that supersedes what the laws on the books say; just because animal abusers have bought off politicians doesn't mean we should let them slide. Stuff like that makes me support vigilante tactics in certain situations.
Now you know the school's only doing this b/c the media heard about it. How many other school districts in Mississippi & around the country are still segregating school elections? Note that in this little system, they didn't allow black students to run for president. And what if you were neither black nor white? Tough shit if you're Asian, Hispanic, Native American, mixed race or some other ethic group that's not "black" or "white"?
This is why I think peers or rational managers should conduct job interviews. A lot of these are signs of nervousness & any interviewer who wants a candidate who isn't nervous should get drunken, stoned & cocky applicants until they wise up. Did you know job interviews only account for 1% of a person's actual job performance? Psychological study covered this; learned about it in college.
I'd rather have someone's who is nervous (evidence of being a human being) instead of a cocky, self-important asshole or someone too drunk or stoned to answer a simple question.
Classic infantile behavior. I'm with Disney on this one; they made reasonable accommodations & this woman isn't taking a position away from the public or wearing what was provided. She could ask for a different design of the head covering instead of filing a lawsuit. You don't get to use your religion to impede an employer's business establishment; nor are you entitled to a particular job. So either take a different position where you can dress as you wish or find another job. In short, grow up & stop hurting your fellow Muslims' chances of getting employment by making everyone think all of them act like you.
This is apparently a hot issue on the Internet. I've only see a few people speaking on it that I know personally, including a bar association I belong to. Frankly, I'm in agreement w/those who say it should be in a different location. It's downright tacky to say you want to mend fences but in the face of location opposition, dig in your heels & say "Hell, no!! It's going here whether you like it or not." Nor do I think a few 9/11 families speak for every single person who was personally affected by 9/11.
I'm also no friend of Bloomberg's considering he was going to lay off 1/3 of the public library work force (including my own spouse) without batting an eye, is against indie filmmakers by trying to institute costly filming permits to shoot on city streets & generally is no friend to people who aren't mega-millionaires. Generally, if he's supporting something, I figure it's probably going to harm me or someone I care about.
I agree w/the Republicans who say it's not racist or anti-anyone to express your free speech rights to the contrary of the media & liberals. Free speech goes both ways, people. I also hesitate to remain in one bar association that comes down on a view I disagree with on the issue though they're actually a better deal than most of them & apparently more enlightened on their views.
It's not a "live or die" issue w/me but I think a different spot in the city would be better & save the people involved the headache, agony + grief of public hatred, especially when the opposition feels it's being ignored. You know someone's going to vandalize it if it ever goes up. Consider this event:
And I'll bet this cab driver was not some terrorist supporter or sympathizer but just someone trying to earn an honest living. I've not taken many cabs but none of the cab drivers have ever done anything to deserve getting stabbed by a passenger. At least, not to cause me to do it. In fact, there are some awesome drivers who'll get you to your destination in record time (especially if you're going to an airport or train station).
Guess what? Not every Muslim is a terrorist just as not all Christians are assholes. Judge people based on they treat you, not their religion, race or other factors that don't tell you the whole story. I still wonder what made the stabber do it, though.
At least the Muslims have an excuse for not speaking out against the radical fringe; they'd be murdered. What's the excuse for Christians? They don't have that code in their faith. At least I know sane Christians.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Racism & the "Censored 11"
Even though I'm working at a TV production company, I actually don't watch many current shows. The most recent thing I've seen is "United States of Tara," a program on Showtime that I must say is quite innovative not just b/c of the main character but b/c of the civilized treatment it gives to homosexuality as seen in Tara's son, Marshall. I can't wait to see where it goes. A few others I'm looking forward to are "Breaking Bad" and the next season of "The Boondocks."
There are a lot of earlier shows that I like but one of the things I've watched since I was little was cartoons. Particularly Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc. from the pre-1948 era. My husband's also a cartoon watcher; we've actually gotten EVERY SINGLE Golden Collection DVD & will probably get the next Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck sets in April.
If you've got a smart remark about my watching cartoons, kiss my ass!!!
If you watch "Family Guy," "The Simpsons," or "South Park" you definitely have NO credibility here. The Looney Tunes shorts were originally for grown ups, NOT kids.
Since these cartoons were made back in the '30s & '40s when racism was a-okay, there are a number of shorts where characters were in blackface or that featured black characters who were caricatures/stereotypes. This should give you a context about the Censored 11.
What is the "censored 11?" Read this.
Allegedly, Warner Bros lives in fear that there will be some massive backlash if they ever released these censored 11 cartoons. People believe that society has gotten WAY to PC for these shorts & others to ever see the light of day.
This is something I have a SEVERE problem with. I think the shorts should be released if:
* They are in a package labeled for "adults" or "adult collectors"; basically making clear that stupid parents don't get to whine & moan if their kids see them
* They are COMPLETE & UNEDITED
Now despite the best efforts of the Man, you can find these shorts online for downloading if you know where to look. I have personally seen the "Censored 11" cartoons; they are VERY offensive & completely non-PC.
BUT....if you wanted to teach someone about the conditions black people faced in that time, it's a very stark and hard-hitting way to do it. I think it's far more effective than saying "We were segregated." It's just like a classroom experiment where the blue eyed kids are treated as 2nd class citizens by the brown eyed kids.
Despite the offensiveness of these cartoons, there's two very good reasons why they should be released:
1. Historical: Censoring these shorts & trying to bury them is like denying racism existed. How do you expect to avoid the mistakes of the past by pretending they didn't happen? Not to mention the effectiveness of these shorts as a classroom teaching tool. Those & the Spike Lee movie "Bamboozled" could be the foundation of a wonderful course on how black people are portrayed & the pervading racism of those times and today. I think things are better but racism still exists. Many of us weren't alive to see those shorts or portrayals & denying they happened doesn't allow society to progress.
2. Giving a Pass: To me, censoring this stuff is like giving a pass to the old white guys who created it (maybe women had a role but considering the lack of women bosses at the time & utter sexism of the day, I assume men are to blame). Hiding it is the same as saying "It's okay that you created it. We aren't going to call you out for it." You know what, though? Regardless of the times, you should have to face the fact that you had a hand in promoting racism. I'd hope some of these people would own this fact & regret it today. How would you feel about creating that stuff if you had black friends or family members to answer to? I'm sure the media would LOVE to shirk its role in keeping black people down but if you're committed to equal rights for all, should you join in? I don't think so. I wouldn't let someone get away w/racism in my presence so why would I encourage someone to deny their actions by censoring something despicable that they did?
My mom, who was alive to see this stuff, also says that it's not the cartoons that's the problem. It's the parents & their attitudes about race. I'm fortunate that I never lived in White Land & had parents with close friends who weren't white. People being different was never considered a bad thing at my house since there was never that initial shock; there wasn't an "us vs. them" since we never really knew a world w/out people of color. My own mother is the one who told us never to use the "n-word" & taught us not to be bigots, unlike some of the kids attending the private school we were at. To give you an idea, the man who was principal at the time openly said he wouldn't let black children attend. Oh, and this was a religious school. I was 100% happier in public school.
I was shocked when I went to college in Atlanta & how much of an issue race IS down there. I couldn't conceivably deal w/a racist (and I mean someone who is an ACTUAL racist, NOT a person who is branded that by someone for not letting the person of color break rules or walk all over him/her). I HATE that stuff & won't give blanket $ to my undergrad b/c of their attitude about it. If I wanted to support racists, I'd give my money to the Ku Klux Klan. Don't hold your breath for that contribution.
For all this talk, my main point is that I'm anti-censorship & personal mores should have nothing to do with what the public can see. This goes regardless of how heated the topic is.
There are a lot of earlier shows that I like but one of the things I've watched since I was little was cartoons. Particularly Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, etc. from the pre-1948 era. My husband's also a cartoon watcher; we've actually gotten EVERY SINGLE Golden Collection DVD & will probably get the next Bugs Bunny & Daffy Duck sets in April.
If you've got a smart remark about my watching cartoons, kiss my ass!!!
If you watch "Family Guy," "The Simpsons," or "South Park" you definitely have NO credibility here. The Looney Tunes shorts were originally for grown ups, NOT kids.
Since these cartoons were made back in the '30s & '40s when racism was a-okay, there are a number of shorts where characters were in blackface or that featured black characters who were caricatures/stereotypes. This should give you a context about the Censored 11.
What is the "censored 11?" Read this.
Allegedly, Warner Bros lives in fear that there will be some massive backlash if they ever released these censored 11 cartoons. People believe that society has gotten WAY to PC for these shorts & others to ever see the light of day.
This is something I have a SEVERE problem with. I think the shorts should be released if:
* They are in a package labeled for "adults" or "adult collectors"; basically making clear that stupid parents don't get to whine & moan if their kids see them
* They are COMPLETE & UNEDITED
Now despite the best efforts of the Man, you can find these shorts online for downloading if you know where to look. I have personally seen the "Censored 11" cartoons; they are VERY offensive & completely non-PC.
BUT....if you wanted to teach someone about the conditions black people faced in that time, it's a very stark and hard-hitting way to do it. I think it's far more effective than saying "We were segregated." It's just like a classroom experiment where the blue eyed kids are treated as 2nd class citizens by the brown eyed kids.
Despite the offensiveness of these cartoons, there's two very good reasons why they should be released:
1. Historical: Censoring these shorts & trying to bury them is like denying racism existed. How do you expect to avoid the mistakes of the past by pretending they didn't happen? Not to mention the effectiveness of these shorts as a classroom teaching tool. Those & the Spike Lee movie "Bamboozled" could be the foundation of a wonderful course on how black people are portrayed & the pervading racism of those times and today. I think things are better but racism still exists. Many of us weren't alive to see those shorts or portrayals & denying they happened doesn't allow society to progress.
2. Giving a Pass: To me, censoring this stuff is like giving a pass to the old white guys who created it (maybe women had a role but considering the lack of women bosses at the time & utter sexism of the day, I assume men are to blame). Hiding it is the same as saying "It's okay that you created it. We aren't going to call you out for it." You know what, though? Regardless of the times, you should have to face the fact that you had a hand in promoting racism. I'd hope some of these people would own this fact & regret it today. How would you feel about creating that stuff if you had black friends or family members to answer to? I'm sure the media would LOVE to shirk its role in keeping black people down but if you're committed to equal rights for all, should you join in? I don't think so. I wouldn't let someone get away w/racism in my presence so why would I encourage someone to deny their actions by censoring something despicable that they did?
My mom, who was alive to see this stuff, also says that it's not the cartoons that's the problem. It's the parents & their attitudes about race. I'm fortunate that I never lived in White Land & had parents with close friends who weren't white. People being different was never considered a bad thing at my house since there was never that initial shock; there wasn't an "us vs. them" since we never really knew a world w/out people of color. My own mother is the one who told us never to use the "n-word" & taught us not to be bigots, unlike some of the kids attending the private school we were at. To give you an idea, the man who was principal at the time openly said he wouldn't let black children attend. Oh, and this was a religious school. I was 100% happier in public school.
I was shocked when I went to college in Atlanta & how much of an issue race IS down there. I couldn't conceivably deal w/a racist (and I mean someone who is an ACTUAL racist, NOT a person who is branded that by someone for not letting the person of color break rules or walk all over him/her). I HATE that stuff & won't give blanket $ to my undergrad b/c of their attitude about it. If I wanted to support racists, I'd give my money to the Ku Klux Klan. Don't hold your breath for that contribution.
For all this talk, my main point is that I'm anti-censorship & personal mores should have nothing to do with what the public can see. This goes regardless of how heated the topic is.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
