Types of Stereos Do you buy the racist brand?
One of my biggest issues with society comes in the form of the word ‘racist’. It has always been my understanding that racism came in the form of having hatred or contempt for a group of people based on their race or religion. At least, that’s how I see it. But lately, I find the word is thrown around to a wider extent. For example: assuming an athletic black male plays basketball in his free time is racist. Sure, I’m profiling the dude but why’s this a bad thing? If a guy is tall, athletic and likes sports, then chances are he plays them too right? And if he’s black, you could rule him out of playing hockey, right? I mean, with very few exceptions, (PK Subban, the guy who does everything on the ice the white way) how many black players are in the NHL compared to the NBA? So is it that wrong to assume a black man plays basketball?
I have a word for this that sadly doesn’t get used as much as it should. Stereotyping. The thing about stereotypes is that they exist for a reason. The reason being that there is normally some truth to them, for them to even exist or be exaggerated. Take my basketball example and the youth culture in North America for black adolescents. Chances are, because it’s a cultural thing, basketball is probably one of their pastimes.
I find that in this day and age, it’s becoming harder and harder (that’s what she said) to take a joke. And it’s the people who don’t even have a joke directed at them who take offense. I have a Persian friend in one of my film classes, and I asked him if he bought a rug in the past week or so. He laughed, but someone else immediately said ‘that’s racist’. No it’s not. Persians like rugs. They like jewelery. Designer furniture. And getting kicked into bottomless holes by someone screaming “this is Sparta!” really, if you haven’t noticed by now, stereotypes are humorous, as long as there isn’t hate involved.
When I think of racists, I think of the KKK and their awesome white costumes. Like Casper the friendly ghost. I mean, the KKK isn’t so bad. I mean, they’re allwhite. Okay, bad pun. And I’m being sarcastic. The KKK is as cool as a warm day in Miami. In other words, it’s not cool at all. But those were actual racists. I take offense to being called a racist if I’m not hating on anyone. See, Hitler was a racist. He hated- the Jews for not spending money on German club music and instead saving it all. The difference is that I’m merely making an observation. I’m not going out saying, “I hate Jews” because I don’t they do my taxes for me. Again, I’m joking. I actually don’t hate anyone except pedophiles and sociopaths and if hating those people makes me a bad guy, then I may as well be a terrorist in Muslim’s clothing.
To quote Hank Hill, “What the hell kind of country is this where I can only hate a man if he’s white?” And it’s true. Whenever a white person does anything that could be seen as slightly ‘stereotypical’ in the eyes of the braindead, rainbows and flowers public, the first thing that gets shouted out is “that’s racist!” For example, if I were to say “I hate Snoop Dogg. His acting is shit.” The first thing that gets said is, “Mike, you’re racist.”
Let me be honest here for a second. I’m the single whitest person on the planet. I’m so white I was rejected from being on the cover of a package of whiteout because I’d fade into the background too well. And I sure as hell can’t go to Texas, because then people will freak out and wonder what the hell a snowman is doing in such insane heat. In fact, I’m so white, you can buy a special shade of white at Home Depot called Mike white. It’s pretty much just eggshell white, but they wanted to brand it a little better. Being affiliated with me does the trick.
See what I’m doing? I’m making fun of myself the same way I make fun of others. You want another one? One day my buddies and I crossed the bridge into Quebec to go to the casino to play poker, and just as we entered French land, some blond French woman crashed her car into a post. And they say Quebecers and women can drive… pffft.
Thing is, just like with my rant on political correctness, today’s society is becoming pussy-whipped. What’s the point in talking about our differences if we’ll be labeled as racist in the process? When have you ever walked into a 7-11 and haven’t seen an Indian guy working there?
Back to my basketball example. Today is the NBA all star game, and I have seen many of my black friends on Facebook update their status talking about the game. The number of white friends I have talking about it? About two. Two. Does this prove the stereotype is true yet?
How about when I was in highschool and I had to do volunteer work. I volunteered at a Chinese school one Saturday, and you know what my job was? No joke. Setting up ping-pong tables. I’m not kidding. How is something racist if it’s cultural?
I think being able to make fun of people in a light-hearted way makes us who we are. It’s when we start to hate on people because of these differences that things become bad or when the stereotypes are negative. Not every comment has to be taken to heart, and not everything has to be offensive. Being able to dish it out and take it is part of growing, and complaining about everything because it offends you is just pathetic.
Believe me, I’m the kind of dude who takes offense when people start throwing around racial slurs dipping in hatred. But all things considered, sometimes you just got to take a joke. It’s like taking a hit to make the play. But just, keep your head up. It’s what they teach you in hockey school. It’s what they should teach you in real life.
May the force be with us all.
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Anna
