I went to the University of Florida. I work with blacks, whites, Indians and some people that I have no idea what they are labeled, but it doesn't matter. We are all paid according to our position - and since it's computers, the positions are pretty much given to who can perform. It's not often the white guys. We're all paid (men, women, whatever race) based on what we put out. The State is the BIGGEST employer in this area - so if "blacks are paid less than whites" it's situational, not racial around here. (My bosses are both black, they make more because they DO more.) I could make more than them if I was willing to put forth the effort they do - but being white would not help me.
ANYWAY - my college alumni has a hispanic alumni club and a black alumni club. There is no white alumni club. Why not? White people went to college there, too.
Stupid racial issues need to go the FREAK AWAY because it should be a non issue anymore - if people would stop pretending to be offended based on color of herd of sheep and start being INDIVIDUALS, it would help!
If you WANT to be part of a herd of sheep - of any label - at least get your numbers together and abolish the death penalty, or rebuild homes for hurricane victims, or feed the homeless in the name of your race - not riot, overwhelm foodstamp offices and pop out babies like you don't know how to cross your legs. Don't put on sheets and light crosses, don't form gangs and kill people over the hat they wear, don't look like thugs with your pants hanging off of you and speak in such slaughtered english that you look like an idiot - and if you DO wear
clothing - do it when you volunteer at daycare centers, or the big dog rescue center or help little old ladies their cars with their groceries. If you want to be a group - black, white, hispanic, gang related, whatever - be a group that makes a POSITIVE difference. It's the groups of rioting blacks, sheet wearing whites, knife weilding hispanics, bombing muslims - that people see in the media and fuels this whole racial thing. It's the invididuals that act the fool like a white kid using the N word, or a black kid robbing a store, too - if you are proud of your race - use that pride for some GOOD.
Argh. I was raised racist in a racist household. Not a major concern, just now and then a comment. I TRIED so hard to overcome it, but I have only been able to overcome it through indivuduals like my boss, who is bright, smart and hardworking - like a coworker who is as much a goof off as I am, but he's nice and a genuinely good person. The large group of blacks that swarmed my car and beat on it when I accidently got lost in a "bad neighborhood" once - they didn't help matters. The large group of gold wearing, cellphone carrying, STRONG, HEALTHY blacks that broke into line for foodstamps during the 3 months stint I was on them after my divorce - they didn't help matters.
How can you stop being racist when people won't stop acting stereotypical? I can SEE why blacks are racist. I can SEE why whites are racist. I can SEE why muslims are discriminated against.
When I stop SEEING REASONS for racism, perhaps I will stop seeing racism.
Go Individuals! Go groups who do good things! Wheeee!
PS
I practice what I preach to my daughter. We don't discuss race at ALL. Our issue is still discrimination though. She dresses gothic. Chains, black clothing, red dyed hair - she looks like she should be feared. I told her she is allowed to wear what she wants, but she needs to do two things for the privledge....
1. If she is accused of stealing things, or being a bad person - she can't cry to me - it's the clothes talking to the ignorant.
2. SHE HAS TO MAKE THOSE CLOTHES LOOK GOOD!
Yes, in those clothes, she entertains babies and small children in waiting rooms of doctor's offices, or picks up dropped toys while shopping. She has assisted lost kids, returned lost pets, volunteered at dog washes for the humane society, given free computer lessons to underprivledged kids that received donated computers. She is in the math club, she is in the computer and robotics clubs. She wears those clothes to church (yes!) and when she is out with her friends she keeps them in line - to make people SEE that large groups of gothic kids aren't necessarily bad kids - they just LOOK different.
I don't mention race to her - but the issue of making your large group socially acceptable translates to race, religeon, national origin, sex, group affiliation of ALL kinds. It's NOT about race, people! It's about WHO YOU ARE.
Thank you. Now back to your regularly scheduled posting.
