i can't help but feel like the walls are closing in

[ivy_chan]

Well, in the span of these past four days, I have seen both Iron Man 2 and Robin Hood...although I don't feel like writing up a detailed recounting of those movies at the moment. I'll do that later, when I don't have relatives downstairs I'm supposed to go greet. Not that I particularly feel about it, because my uncle and my dad are sitting in the

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[lindentreeisle]

I'm sorry, that sucks. :( Especially since it's in your immediate family, not just your extended (which is bad enough).

[ivy_chan]

Yeah, it's in both my immediate AND extended family. Today, my uncle and dad were specifically bitching about The Bowing Incident. In which Obama bowed to the Japanese emperor in a show of tradition respect, honoring both the man and his culture. Apparently he bowed too low and they don't like Obama bowing, anyway.

Key tidbits from Uncle: "We're in America, not Asia! We wear business suits and go to meetings!"

*when I pointed out that he was showing deference to culture, like you're supposed to in the Middle East by not wearing crosses* "I'll wear a cross all I want when I go to the Middle East, and carry around an AK-47 to show I don't change for anybody!"

Both of these people worked for the military (dad Air Force, uncle Army,) so they know what they're supposed to do in another country. Both of these people work for the government. I am floored by the ignorance.

[lindentreeisle]

Yeah. And you don't really want to fight them, because they're family...You can't ignore them like you can ignore people you don't care about when they are ignorant, or shout at them. So it's just fucking exhausting trying to deal with it. The racism thing has got to be frustrating too; I have another friend who has had similar ignorant shit thrown at her from the white half of her family, and I can't imagine how hurtful that must be. :\

Earlier I was hanging out with a friend, and the GI Joe theme came on his ipod, and he mentioned something about how the GI Joe intro is just kind of awesome and makes you proud to be American. And I said maybe that's what being a neocon is like- you honestly believe you can solve any problem by soaring in on your jetpack with your assault rifle, fucking shit up, and knowing everything you do is absolutely right because you're American, dammit.

I'm glad I'm not that ignorant, but it must be kind of nice to know you're right all the time.

[ivy_chan]

Yeah, I really don't want to fight, but I just can't help speaking up when they say this stupid, ignorant, sometimes downright hurtful crap. I start to feel like I might be better off if I didn't speak up, but that makes me feel like their silencing tactics are getting through. Gaah.

Yes, that sounds about 100% accurate. A lot of these uber American types seem to like the idea of blowing up everyone who disagrees with us. Which, you know, is the sort of mindset we're supposed to grow out of by age eleven.

[lindentreeisle]

Yep.

I think the only real solution is for the topics just to not come up. Which unfortunately requires some cooperation from the people saying dumb shit. Luckily for me my mom backs up my "let's not discuss this" position so my uncles will usually avoid discussing this stuff with or in front of us to keep the peace. And if I can't do anything to change the subject, sometimes I can leave the room.

I understand what you mean about speaking up though...that's why it's better for me if it just doesn't come up. My mom says, "Why do you argue? It's not going to change their minds. Just ignore it." But I swear to god I can't help it, it's like an illness...I can't sit and listen to stupid bullshit and not say something.

[ivy_chan]

Right? I can only keep my mouth shut a certain amount of time before the rage buffer starts failing and I can't help stating my opinion. Which is, in my opinion, only fair. if you're going to be airing these topics in a public forum (like...the living room), it should be perfectly reasonable to expect a response. Even if the response is an opposite point of view. But no, I just get branded as aggressive and argumentative. Which I should take as a compliment, I suppose, since an 'aggressive, argumentative' woman is just someone who knows her mind and speaks her opinion.