Thinking About Things

I have been thinking about things.  After reading this and this , I began thinking about race in this country.  I find it extremely interesting to listen to people discuss race, read about it, and consider what it all means.  The article linked above discusses the name "Washington" and how it became the blackest name in America.  As an initial matter, it is a source of great pride that the writer used Black.  I can not stand the term African American.  It means nothing, and, really, is quite insulting.


At least it would be if anybody actually thought about what it  means.  But I digress.  The race discussion is interesting b/c nobody wants to talk about it. People pretend that it is not an issue, when, quite frankly, it is an issue in everything that we do.


Buzz Bissenger just wrote an article, about NBA and its fans, trying to illustrate why people don't like the NBA. Now, I know that he is polarizing and many people might disagree, but I do think that his thoughts are not that far off.  Now the relevant question that needs to be asked is whether it is racist for a white person to say they don't like the NBA b/c it has too many black players or not enough white players?  is that racism?  I think not, not when Blacks are permitted, on a regular basis to say they don't like the NHL b/c there are no black players.  I am not sure that's racism.  It might be stupid, but not racist.  Isn't it usual or normal for people to like or follow people who are like them.  If they are country boys, they prefer to watch country boys.  If they are city boys, they prefer to watch city boys. At its heart, that is because human beings try gather and relate to groups of people that are like them.  Of course, I, of all people, believe that people should be open minded, meet different types of people and expand horizons.  I am not suggesting that segregation is the answer (considering I have a white wife, and 3 mixed kids ((mixed twice)).  


However, this fact does cause some interesting situations.   An older lady asked my wife if our daughter was hers?  is that offensive to me?  No.  At least she asked as opposed to assuming something that wasn't true.  As human beings, we operate with stereotypes and prejudices.  It is how we are wired.  Would it be better if these stereotypes and prejudices were not hardwired into our brain, of course, but that is not how it is.


Instead of ignoring them, and acting as if they don't matter or we can repress them, we should instead acknowledge them, try to understand why they are there and deal with them.  What are the stereotypes that blacks have about whites, or vice versa or whites have about Asians, and what Indians have about White people. The point is that they exist in everybody and they should be discussed in non-threatening and insulting way so there is an actual discourse and discussion.  The discussion is how people realize that the prejudice and stereotypes are wrong and that is when minds actually become open.


The same is true for how people view homosexuals, illegal immigrants, or any other group.  The discussion is what matters.  We need to thicken our skin, and have discussions about these issues because that is the only way we move past them.


As discussed in the first article, a person with a white name "Emily Walsh" is 50% more likely to receive a call for an interview then a black name, Lakeisha Washington.  Why is this true?  Would those employers even admit they don't call people back because the applicant has a "black" name?  If they won't admit it, how do we correct it?  Have I benefited b/c my name is  Chris Pickett?  Would I be where I am if my name was Tyrone Jefferson?  Interesting questions that have no real answer.In any event, I hope that one day we can have a real discussion that results in solutions and not the same denials that race plays no part in our views, decisions, philosophies, where we live, where we send our kids to school, and almost every other decision we make whether that decision was made subconsciously or not.


I should note, for the record, I am mixed (bi-racial).  

Be easy.

I should note I am bi-racial (mixed) and quite proud of it.

Saturday Night

I am sitting in my house listening to my son sleep and thinking about how things "used" to be.  My friends and I, and they know who they are, did alot of things we probably should not have.  On the other hand, if I did not have those experiences, would I be the person I am today?

I do konw that I hope remember what I did so I can keep an eye on the kids, but also understand where they may be coming from.  they are little now, only 4, 21 mos, and 4 mos, but they will be bigger very soon.  As they grow, I'll try to remember what it was like growing up.  Try to remember the insecurity, the periods of having no confidence, the periods when things were going well, the times you were happy, and the times you were sad.  Try to remember what it was like to wonder and obsess about whether a specific girl likes you?  About whether your friends liked you and what was going on.  In the end, we all muddle through, God knows I did.

There were times when I was younger that I really thought things could not be any worse.  I felt like I was a nobody and that nobody cared if I lived or died.  There were other times when I beleive I was the absolute "shit" and nobody could touch me.  Interesting swing and I think, as an adult, its important to remember how you felt as your kids grow up.  Try to remember that they are going through things that, to them, are the most important things that could ever happen to them.  They are thinking about things that, to them, mean life or death.  They are stressing about who to ask to prom or homecoming.  They are worried about whether a certain boy or girl likes them.  They are wondering if the "hello" in the hallway meant something or did it mean nothing at all  Was the Girl messing with you or did she really mean it when she smiled.  Did the boy tap your shoulder on purpose, or did he do it for no reason at all.

Will you make the basketball team?  Will your parents be upset at you if you don't make it?  Should you even keep playing?  I know that I am gonig to try to remember those things as I raise these kids.  I hope that I can remember those things, because I think it will help me relate to them and help them through the issues they may have.

That's all I have.  I ran the second day of my "training" to run a 5K.  I haven't run a 5K since highschool when Ryan Meegan bet me that I could not beat him.  We ran the St. Patrick's Day 5K.  I won.  I haven't even considered doing one since then, but I am going to finish this training and run the 5K.  On a related note, I am down 8 pounds since 1/1/11.  I am at 288.  I want to hit 260 by August 2011.  I see no reason why i can't do that.

Be kind, be well, and be easy.