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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Racism vs. Stereotyping

I know this topic is probably going to heat some people up, but I am tired of hearing the same old bullshit time and time again on TV, radio, and in person. People seemed to have forgotten the meaning of racist, and hide behind that word any time they are offended. Personally, I think racism is disgusting and cannot tolerate it. But on the other hand….I think stereotypes are hilarious!!!

What’s not to love about stereotypes? Most of them have no merit at all, they are just funny to say. Like saying Irish people are always drunk, or that English people smell bad and have rotted teeth. Ok…..maybe a little merit. But it’s not like that across the board, and anyone with half a wit would know this.

What brought this rant on were multiple things actually. So it wasn’t just a one time thing, and I decided I have to blog or whatever. But first, let me ask you this; is it racist when a person of color says “White people can’t dance”? Noooooooo…..it isn’t. That is a stereotype. I’m sure they don’t hate the white person that is attempting the running man out on the dance floor. They might hate having to have that image branded into their minds, but they don’t hate the person. Then why do people scream racist when you insist black people like chicken or Mexicans like tacos? That isn’t racist at all. Racism is having hatred for a person due to their ethnicity. I do not hate a Mexican if he likes to indulge in burritos 4 or 5 times a day, or if the line at a KFC in the Bronx is mostly African-Americans. I just snicker at how sometimes the stereotype rings true to some, and keep it moving.

True, some people get their feelings hurt over a simple stereotype. I know a few Asians that hate the “You got a small cock” jokes. And I know a few Jewish dudes that aren’t too fond of the “You cheap bastard” blasts. But it’s all in fun. It’s not done in hate. Hell, you can make fun of white dudes all damn day, as long as hate isn’t behind the words, who cares?!?! If you don’t like the stereotype, you as a community have to change that. Mexicans need to stop taking landscaping jobs…….Jewish guys have to go on massive spending sprees……Russians have to ban vodka….rednecks need to get their peckers out of their sisters…..and so on.

Oh, and you can’t pick and choose your stereotypes either! If you are black and going around basking in the “big dick” stereotype, then you have to be able to shoulder a few negative ones too! That’s only fair, right? Shit, us white guys have to deal with being the “nerdy” race most of the time. How many movies portray the black guys teaching the white guys how to be “cool”? C’mon!!! That shit is hilarious, but I don’t take offense to it. We all know that Vanilla Ice was as cool as it gets.

I know that the media is to blame for most of this. They blow any little thing out of proportion just to make news on slow days. But they don’t realize that it’s corrupting our people into thinking people hate them over some bullshit. Are some words and symbols racist? Yes. The whole “burning cross” thing was done with hate as its intent. So you can’t just start doing that and think it’s funny. It’s not. There is a line.

But jokes are jokes, and people need to lighten up. I am just fortunate enough to work with dudes that understand jokes, and can dish as well as take them. I hope that more and more people can see the difference. Joking is something that bonds people and brings them closer. Honestly, do you hate someone that you joke around with on a regular basis?

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