Well, I have a few different points to make considering this. As a warning, I mean NOTHING in this post to be offensive. I've edited and re-edited it for a few days now, and I think it's all ready. If anyone has any opinions, clashes with my opinions, or desires to have me put out less heady entries, feel free to contact me. I intend to have sociological/mindful/whatever posts pop up here every once in a while. Discussion is encouraged.

First of all, a memory. One college we stopped at when I was still shopping for an education site was a historically black college (I can't remember which one for the life of me). As it was a summer weekend, none of the students were around. There were posters up of students running for office, an all of them were black. One family member pointed to a poster and whispered "that's because this is a black college". I thought, "What are you doing? It's not like you've used an offensive term, why are you whispering? There isn't even anyone around anyway!" Later that week, I asked an African American friend of mine if she would be offended to be reffered to as "black". She asked if I was offended to be called "white". I said I wasn't, and she said it was exactly the same. I think it's stupid how hushed up an nervous people are around each other about such "issues".

Secondly, as far as the labeling people according to their appearances, that happens in much more than race issues. People are instantly evaluated based on their dress, makeup, style of walk, hair style, facial expressions, accent, etc. Back in our early evolutionary days, this ability was a necessary defense mechanism. There is no other way of judging people quickly, as it is logistically impossible to "get to know" every random person you see on the street. Granted, people misuse this, and go to extremes with stereotypes, but we DO have to have some sort of basis for evalutating people on short notice. It isn't fair or right, but it IS unavoidable.

Thirdly, part of the reason that racial groups are identified as they are, is because they WANT to be. Feeling part of a group is one way to gain identity. Racial or cultural pride is NOT a bad thing. Identifying someone as part of a racial group is only derogatory in the eyes of a racist person, otherwise it is merely a descriptive characteristic. We all belong to at least one race, why not be proud of it?

Fourthly, I've heard once that when two things are present, then a collection of people will form a "group". This is a common oppression and a common goal. Whether we're talking black, Native American, Hispanic, or any other minority, this makes sense. If they're immigrants, they have the common goal of "making it" in America and the common difficulty of a language barrier. In the case of African Americans, there is the goal of taking their fair share of control in America, and the common struggle of historical oppression. (Oppression continues today, of course, but most people are TRYING to do better. I, for one, believe that anyway.) Another aspect which can keep minorities attached at the hip, is their common culture. This is not only in the cultural activies brought over from their native land, but also in the mass media available to them here, reinforcing coherance (ie. the Spanish Channels, BET, etc.).

Fifthly, there IS a problem with calling the people who were here before us "Native Americans". If I belonged to a tribe that was slaughtered by invaders then dominated by a people calling themselves "Americans", I would definitely be loathe to be named one myself. It hasn't been that long historically since that happened, plus they are STILL being suppressed/oppressed. Considering that becoming citizens of America benefits their circumstances tremendously, and gives them many more rights, I can see why they do it. Oh, and NEWSFLASH, they're not from India either, so calling them Indians (a name we accidently gave them) is condescending too. Some people used to call them "redmen", but I'm pretty sure that was an offensive term, and I won't use it. So, what's the solution? The only politically correct way would be to use tribal names, but most people are too lazy to learn those. As for a term generalizing all peoples here before we whiteys, there is nothing that really works. Guess we'll just be sticking to the old botched up names.

Sixthly, yet ANOTHER reason we are compelled to use ancestorily based race-names, is for the absolving of historical grievances. This is necessary for affirmative action to work. (The effectiveness of affirmative action is a WHOLE other matter that I won't get into right now. Can't type everything at once.) This goes further than that though. There are some blacks wanting financial compensation for the crimes against their ancestors. I have no idea how that will pan out. For the Native Americans still wanting a fair deal from our government, they have to join together in order to get an iota of their demands.

Alright, that's enough for now. Later this week I'll post something about my restaurant research. Laterz folks.

I've Changed My Mind
Friday, August 9, 2002

Ok, remember that list I made not long ago about all the stuff that would make up the "perfect" significant other. Yeah, forget it. Wipe it all away, and replace it with this: gives awesome massages. There's this dude Rocky that works in the kitchen at O'Chuck's, and every once in awhile he'll give me these TO-DIE-FOR massages. Tonight he did my back, shoulders, and neck. My muscles feel all yummily gummy now. *Sigh*, is it WRONG to marry someone just for the massages. Jk-jk. Tomorrow night being my last night at work, he and a few others plan to hit me in the face with some cream pie. Little do they know I will have silly-string hidden in my pocket. Mwuhahaha, revenge is Soooooooo sweet.