The Racism Of Racism.
I was flipping through the last time I posted on this, and it was in May. Holy. Cow.
You know, this is a huge thorn in my side--minorities in this country really have nothing to say about race anymore. I understand that things were damned difficult from well before MLK's time to well after, but we're talking about a hundred-year span of time now. The time has passed for the programs that are around now to combat it--much in the same way that many unions have outstayed their own welcome. I am in no way advocating that racism is a good thing. It isn't. But let's face it peoples: Racism has swung the other way. And do you know who gets boned from it these days? White people. Specifically, me. The typical, white male.
The reason that we (my wife and I) have nearly ten grand in credit card bills is NOT because we were dumbasses and bought a 72'' plasma TV; it's because my wife got a letter in the mail at the end of her third semester in school stating that "we will only be able to give you ten grand less than your tuition in financial aid this semester." Oh, really? What about the four or five classmates that she had who told of how they paid a hefty three hundred dollars for that semester?? The most irritating thing about the University of Arizona is that they try to project this attitude of tolerance, and absence of race, and celebration of diversity among its students, and they're the biggest perpetrators of straight-out BULLsh*t that I have ever come in contact with. And I didn't even go there.
Guess what happened to my wife on graduation day? A classmate friend of hers, who happened to be black, missed lunch with her to attend the "All-Black" graduation ceremony. Oh yes, I am serious. They had the "black-only," "Native American only," and "Latino only" ceremonies at separate times during that day. Everyone is the same, they try to convince us? WTF is THAT?!
This completely flies in the face of the cause of "intolerance" and "acceptance of everyone." This stuff needs to stop. The day that I see a "White Entertainment Television" channel, a "Straight, White Male Pride Parade," and a "National Association For The Advancement of White People" is the day I will never squawk again about these other groups. Until then, every one of them shows 100% HYPOCRACY for their cause.
Now look--I am in no way a "white supremacist" type--I have tolerance and appreciation for every culture, and I lose respect in people when they show me they don't deserve it. But the fact is, my wife and I are in debt nearly one hundred thousand dollars--a lot of it at TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT INTEREST--because the U of A decided Alli couldn't even qualify for LOANS enough to complete her education, solely on the basis of her skin color and heritage. They would deny it, but I would guarantee it. If she was a first or second generation latino, it would've been free. If she would've been here on a student visa, it would've been free. No--I'm not speculating, I'm TELLING you. She went to the U of A and got a 4.0 (read: ABSOLUTELY PERFECT SCORE) on her masters degree. But obviously, we don't reward a job-well-done here anymore, not even enough to help someone get through school with loans. No, we want them to deal with CREDIT CARDS to go to our school.
What ever happened to running our society based on MERIT?? I don't care that Obama is black; I CARE that he will criticize Tony Hayward for going sailing during the Gulf Oil Spill, then sending his wife and kid to the most exclusive luxury hotel in Spain on my dime, in the middle of a recession. I CARE that people are basically paid to have kids, work the welfare system and never get off their ass. I CARE that the airlines hike baggage fees and are shocked--SHOCKED--that the cabin is overflowing with carry-on luggage. Seriously--whatever happened to COMMON DECENCY to people?
I have heard this since I was in grade school, and I live by it today: I do not care what color your skin is. If you show up late every day, you're a slacker. If you steal a couple of pens here and there, you're still a thief. And if you run a company into the ground and "retire," you're still a g*ddamned FRAUD. Who cares about race? Why does it have to be about race?
I know that things aren't perfect here, and there are a lot of people who have opinions based on ignorance in misinformation...I suppose mine could be one of them. But here's what I know: Things are not fair any longer, for any single demographic in the country, and it isn't up to the government to legislate that fairness into action.
I'm tired of the discrimination against others, and I'm tired of being discriminated against. Who's with me?
You know, this is a huge thorn in my side--minorities in this country really have nothing to say about race anymore. I understand that things were damned difficult from well before MLK's time to well after, but we're talking about a hundred-year span of time now. The time has passed for the programs that are around now to combat it--much in the same way that many unions have outstayed their own welcome. I am in no way advocating that racism is a good thing. It isn't. But let's face it peoples: Racism has swung the other way. And do you know who gets boned from it these days? White people. Specifically, me. The typical, white male.
The reason that we (my wife and I) have nearly ten grand in credit card bills is NOT because we were dumbasses and bought a 72'' plasma TV; it's because my wife got a letter in the mail at the end of her third semester in school stating that "we will only be able to give you ten grand less than your tuition in financial aid this semester." Oh, really? What about the four or five classmates that she had who told of how they paid a hefty three hundred dollars for that semester?? The most irritating thing about the University of Arizona is that they try to project this attitude of tolerance, and absence of race, and celebration of diversity among its students, and they're the biggest perpetrators of straight-out BULLsh*t that I have ever come in contact with. And I didn't even go there.
Guess what happened to my wife on graduation day? A classmate friend of hers, who happened to be black, missed lunch with her to attend the "All-Black" graduation ceremony. Oh yes, I am serious. They had the "black-only," "Native American only," and "Latino only" ceremonies at separate times during that day. Everyone is the same, they try to convince us? WTF is THAT?!
This completely flies in the face of the cause of "intolerance" and "acceptance of everyone." This stuff needs to stop. The day that I see a "White Entertainment Television" channel, a "Straight, White Male Pride Parade," and a "National Association For The Advancement of White People" is the day I will never squawk again about these other groups. Until then, every one of them shows 100% HYPOCRACY for their cause.
Now look--I am in no way a "white supremacist" type--I have tolerance and appreciation for every culture, and I lose respect in people when they show me they don't deserve it. But the fact is, my wife and I are in debt nearly one hundred thousand dollars--a lot of it at TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT INTEREST--because the U of A decided Alli couldn't even qualify for LOANS enough to complete her education, solely on the basis of her skin color and heritage. They would deny it, but I would guarantee it. If she was a first or second generation latino, it would've been free. If she would've been here on a student visa, it would've been free. No--I'm not speculating, I'm TELLING you. She went to the U of A and got a 4.0 (read: ABSOLUTELY PERFECT SCORE) on her masters degree. But obviously, we don't reward a job-well-done here anymore, not even enough to help someone get through school with loans. No, we want them to deal with CREDIT CARDS to go to our school.
What ever happened to running our society based on MERIT?? I don't care that Obama is black; I CARE that he will criticize Tony Hayward for going sailing during the Gulf Oil Spill, then sending his wife and kid to the most exclusive luxury hotel in Spain on my dime, in the middle of a recession. I CARE that people are basically paid to have kids, work the welfare system and never get off their ass. I CARE that the airlines hike baggage fees and are shocked--SHOCKED--that the cabin is overflowing with carry-on luggage. Seriously--whatever happened to COMMON DECENCY to people?
I have heard this since I was in grade school, and I live by it today: I do not care what color your skin is. If you show up late every day, you're a slacker. If you steal a couple of pens here and there, you're still a thief. And if you run a company into the ground and "retire," you're still a g*ddamned FRAUD. Who cares about race? Why does it have to be about race?
I know that things aren't perfect here, and there are a lot of people who have opinions based on ignorance in misinformation...I suppose mine could be one of them. But here's what I know: Things are not fair any longer, for any single demographic in the country, and it isn't up to the government to legislate that fairness into action.
I'm tired of the discrimination against others, and I'm tired of being discriminated against. Who's with me?