Racism is killing me...

No, not the fact that it exists, the fact that by saying the wrong thing you could all of the sudden be labeled as a racist. It's getting out of fucking hand.

To preface this, I want to make one thing clear: One, I am not a racist. I believe that everyone should have equal rights and be treated well, regardless of race. I DO believe that there are big differences between races, which is of course a belief that will cause dumb shits to point out that you are, in fact a racist...look people, sorry to break it to you, but there ARE differences between races, that's is in fact why the classification of race exists. To sit there and pretend that we are all the same is just as ignorant as claiming one race is better than the other based solely on the merit of national origin or skin color, but we ARE different, in some good way, in some bad ways. I have to accept that, as a white guy, I am just never going to have a 12 inch horse schlong, and live with what was given to my race. If you are reading this, please do not send me emails telling me how horrible I am for having an opinion, especially if you did not take the time to read this in it's entirety.

Now, that being said, I had someone jump down my throat because I referred to someone as a person of color, they wanted to know how I could be so insensitive as to not use the proper nomenclature. Well, part of it was that they change what you are supposed to call people of color so often that, well, I had no damned clue what it even WAS this week...now hear me out here:

I cannot call them a black person, because OBVIOUSLY they are not black, their skin color is a dark brown, not black. I refuse to call people African American because the vast, vast, VAST majority of colored people in America today are...AMERICANS...nothing extra fancy, just Americans, like me, born here, living here, growing up here and I guarantee you that they have never even BEEN to Africa. They are not African Americans, they hold no dual citizenship so calling anyone this is just fucking stupid. I mean, by this rationale, I could call myself a European/Floridan/Mc-Dolaldsian/Burger Kingsonite, because I have either been to those places, or have ancestors who had.

Then God help me, I once made the mistake of posting that I was pissed off by the fact that Cinco Demayo people ticked me off because traffic was all screwed up downtown due to the fact that the majority of them that I observed were acting like, well, jackasses.

Now, this apparently made me a horrible racist because I slandered a great Mexican holiday (according to several online detractors)

Look, I would have been just as pissed if it was the National Democratic Convention that was driving around flashing their asses out the window, obstructing traffic, and hoisting beer bottles above their pickup trucks. It was not the fact that they were Mexican, it was the fact that they were idiots, but god help me, you cannot say anything against a minority because people will think that you are attributing your statements to the fact that they are a minority, and not the fact that they are acting in a fashion that is less than civilized.

So what then? If someone does something stupid, irritating, rude or otherwise enraging, is it only PC to comment on it if they are white? If they are a minority does that grant license to them to escape criticism because it's racist to point out anything negative about them?

Don't even get me started on that whole "You might be a racist and not even know it" bullshit. As though I might be out burning crosses and lynching immigrants and not be aware of it. Of course, they are referring here to the fact that some people might hold preconceptions about another race and not be aware of it, as though this puts you in the running for Grand Dragon of the KKK.

Sure, you should not judge people prior to getting to know them, but you know, it happens, deal. I have plenty of people assume things about me prior to meeting me, and it is usually good enough for me to not make an ass out of myself and talk in an educated and articulate manner to change their minds. If not, fuck 'em, I don't need their approval for my existence.

Last point- Racism is not something perpetuated by white people alone.

I was at a job fair and I was wearing a suit and tie, had my hair down but it was bleached blonde and shaved on the sides. I hear someone behind me go "Good luck getting a job with that hair cut"

So I turn around and there is a colored guy in a suit looking at me.

"Excuse me?" I say, "Would you care to elaborate on that statement?"

"Oh, well, people are going to see your haircut and draw certain conclusions about what kind of a person you are based on it" he tells me.

"Really? That's fascinating! Kind of like how they might do it because your...COLORED!?"

"Oh, well, that is different" He informs me.

"How so, both are instances where someone judges you based soley on physical appearance, how is it difference" I ask.

"Well, I can't help the way I look" he replies.

"What, are you serious? First of all, saying that you 'can't help it' sounds lame and apologetic, as though your racial inheritance is some sort malady, or incurable affliction? You make it sound like a disease when you say you cannot help it. Secondly, because I choose to look different justifies judgment of me? Because I did this to myself, prejudice is OK?" I press him.

"Well, uh, the thing...I uh..." He stutters, then walks away.

About half an hour later he comes back up to me and tries to justify himself and his statements again, which I didn't really care to hear because I didn't really care the first time, I just thought it was ironic that the thought had never even occured to him.

So yeah, that's it, my tirade.