counter-point

i disagree. which is strange, cause we're not even discussing the environment or whether or not guiness tastes like crap this time.

i definitely do not think that we should go around using racial slurs, but i don't think silence is the answer either. in fact, i think it's part of the problem. i think we should all be free to talk about our differences, and why they're good AND what's good in other cultures/races/neighborhoods too. and free to ask others what they're all about! one of my former coworkers was a jehovah's witness, and i had no idea what that meant other than they were the people my mom loved to screw with when they came to the house, but this coworker was willing to tell me about it. do i want to incorpoate those beliefs into my life? hells no - i love my birthday. but now i know and it's no longer this strange thing i know nothing about. now i know the facts instead of the stereotypes and what other people think about them. see the difference? when a kid asks an adult what's different about the person who's black, white, purple or polka-dot walking down the street the adult should not be afraid to tell them. if they don't give them a truthful, factful answer, then the kid is going to get their "facts" from somewhere else. and they're going to keep looking for answers until they find them. telling someone that something is forbidden (whether it's a topic of conversation, way of thinking, dressing, acting, etc.) is only going to make them want to do it more. abolish the drinking age and after the novelty wears off, i'm sure even some of the newer new englanders will go dry.

stereotypes will never be completely eliminated. they're needed to help organize the bombardment of information our brains are constantly receiving - you use them when you see a mangy dog and a purring cat - and sometimes you're wrong. but if we didn't have an initial slot to put info we'd never be able to react to anything - not to the cutie winking at us or the crazy waving a knife. i think a good place for the human race to start would be to remember that stereotypes are guideline, not hard and fast rules. not every latino is gonna try to cop a feel, but it doesn't hurt to keep an eye out at first. not to mention the fact that sometimes stereotypes funny. and watch this one too. i can't wait to see it live next month!

any who...

so, how do we change the way americans react to the info they just processes? fuck if i know. i guess i could have some kids and teach them that while us froggies make the best food, the irish have the best holiday and the canadians are the nicest, and so on and so on. but first i'd have to find a baby daddy and we all know that all guys suck.