Not Racist

I have a friend that's Nigerian.  She actually speaks 4 languages, since she's extremely well-traveled.

The other day I wanted to ask her if there were any 'clicks' in her Nigerian language, but Annie stopped me, telling me that it was a racist question.  I disagreed, but I didn't ask to make Annie happy.

Last night at The Pub, I finally asked.  I really wanted to know.  My Nigerian friend also thought it was racist.  I think that's bullshit.  The only thing that is slightly racist might be calling them 'clicks'.

rac·ism/ˈrāˌsizəm/

Noun:

The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as... Prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief.

Ignorant?  Yes.  Otherwise I wouldn't have asked.  Racist?  Not by definition, nor by intent.  I know that there are versions of 'clicks' in at least one African language.  I know of them from The Lion King on Broadway.  I was so obsessed with that show, that I can actually spell the opening sequence in whatever language it is in:  "ingonyama negw'enamabala".  NO I didn't just look that up.  That's off the top of my head.  It might be spelled a little wrong, but at some point in my life there was legitimate interest in African languages because I wanted to know what they were saying.  I once went to a table session with some of the actors from The Lion King during its long Toronto run.  In the middle the discussion, they actually had the whole audience try to make the three different clicking sounds that they use in the songs.

Some of the 'clicks' are found at 0:10 and 0:29 in this song:

South Park, now that's racist.  However, that's the only other time I can think of coming in contact with an African language.  Though it's likely fake, the little Ethiopian 'clicks'.  Though Ethiopia is much closer to Tanzania (where The Lion King likely takes place, since it's in the Serengeti) than Nigeria, is it that awful to wonder if clicks happen elsewhere on the continent?

There are definitely times when I'm racist.  There are definitely times when I don't mean to be racist, but I am.  (For example, the other day Annie and I joked about knocking on a friend's door and hiding.  I didn't know what to call it, since I was raised calling it ni**er-knocking.  I also have to stop myself every time I fix something with duct tape, since I was always taught that was called ni**er-rigging, or in this case ni**er-ri**ing.)  Yes, those are racist, even if I don't mean them to be.  This incident, however, definitely was not.

And no, there are no 'clicks' in her Nigerian dialect,
~RoB

Racist or Not?

I just got signed up for a new health/dental insurance and am starting to look for new doctors to become my primary physicians.  (The new medical insurance was the whole purpose behind the recent domestic partnership.)

So, I'm pretty much picking doctors based on a list of names only.

Honestly, I caught myself looking for the whitest names possible.  Or, I guess, most European names.  I was half ashamed when I realized what I was doing.  Here's what I found myself thinking as I came across each name:

Changlin Wang?  Not comfortable.
Lucy Kalanithi?  :|  Can't even place the origin of that last name.  Indian?
Nailah Thompson?  I'm liking Thompson, but what's this Nailah about?
Hai-tao Tang?  Fun to say.  Not comfortable.
Safa Magid?  :|
Nardine Riegels?  For some reason I picture a really old, Jewish lady.

Then, I decided to try googling their names, and now I can at least see their pictures and where they graduated from.  Aiming for Michigan grads!

What leads me to this method of picking doctors?  If you ever go in for your high blood pressure (Me) or high cholesterol (Me) or poison ivy penis (Me) or weird rash on your anus that you confuse with a hemorrhoid (Me) or acne all along your legs and ass when you work out (Me), you don't really want to have problems coming from misunderstandings or miscommunication.

That was exactly the problem I had with a doctor in L.A.  He's talking about heart complications, and all I get is slurs and mumbles.  Heck, I ended up getting an unnecessary Hepatitis test at one point.  I avoided him for the whole butthole rash incident.  I actually quit going to the doctor altogether.  So, I guess my subconscious was trying to control this scenario in the future, when the only factor I can influence is which name I pick.

Dentists, though, I guess I'm going more for breath?  I don't really need to understand what the dentist says.  I have amazing, natural teeth.  I found my last dentist the same way, and his name was something like Scott O'Malley.  Too bad it wasn't something solid like Joseph Smith.  (Heck, that name is white enough to base a religion off of.)  White people just don't typically have pungent lunches, I guess?  Maybe Italians...  No, I guess that one's a little bit racist.

♫ Everyone's a little bit racist ♫,
~RoB

Racist in the Workplace (Response)

I was bored, so I went back through to get a glimpse of how my blog has evolved over time.  I made it all the way back to my Racist in the Workplace post, when I realized the picture links didn't work any more.  I'm sure this is going to slowly happen to all of my pics over time, and I can accept that since I don't create many of my own pics.  However, for some reason, this interested me enough to investigate.

As it turns out, the company actually changed their blatantly racist ways.  I'd like to think it was due in part to my blog.  Let's not bust that bubble yet.  The new 'Handcuffing Police Training Mannequin' is no longer a black guy:

Hey, it's a white guy this time, but who pulls their shorts up that high?

However, their new attempts at being politically correct just aren't quite cutting it yet.  You're trying.  I get that, but maybe you should have like 1 other person read it before you update the website with your next great idea.

... this African American version reveals sculpted characteristics of the black race. An excellent manikin for use in environments where human participation is dangerous, including pole top, confined space, collapsed building, smoke room, ladder carry, and extrication exercises.

Yeah, I don't know exactly what the 'characteristics of the black race' are, but it appears to be a wider nose, a less stylish haircut, and bigger lips.  I also don't know why a white mannequin can't be used for practicing dangerous environments/exercises.  Oh, and African American Rescue Rudy apparently sits down on the job, while Caucasian Rescue Randy is up and at 'em:

I can't be the only one keeping these people in check, cuz I really can't afford a lawsuit,
~RoB

Racist in the Workplace

Let's say you are responsible for training firefighters/police/military/first responders in how to rescue people from burning buildings.  In order to not endanger the trainees (stupid OSHA), you decide to go online and purchase a mannequin (easily spell-able thanks to the late-80s movie).  You come across this 6'1" 165 lb fun-loving guy:

"Rescue Randy Combat Challenge"

Now, let's say you are training police to handcuff tough criminals.  They make a 6'1" 165 lb guy for that, too:

"Handcuffing Police Training Manikin"

The colored dye is so absolutely necessary to most prepare our responders for "manhandling the perps".  After all:

I remember this shirt design (follow the photo link) primarily because Denzel Washington freaked out about it in Ebony (or some magazine like that), and also because it's kinda funny.

♫ Everyone's a little bit racist ♫,
~RoB

Racist or Not?

I'm not sure why, but I feel like the word Mexicans is racist, even when I'm using it correctly.  For example, I was watching the Mexican soccer team play on television.  When the announcers referred to the Mexicans, I cringed.  It made me laugh that I was so sensitive to the word, even when it was politically correct.  I think that is where most white people are these days... at least those of us that don't want to offend anyone (blog not included).  "Did I say black?  I meant African American permanent marker...?"  The slightest verbal misstep forces us to write long-winded apologies to coworkers and/or peers.  Does it make me racist that I am uncomfortable with the word Mexicans?

'Midget' and 'handicapped' work the same way, just because I either don't know the more appropriate term, or because I don't find the politically correct term more appropriate.  I can't talk about anyone with those conditions, no matter how careful I'm trying to be, without feeling awful.

I might actually be 1/4 Mexican,
~RoB