Selective Interpretation

Well, I haven't posted in forever, and this isn't what I was shooting for, but I went on another rant in some forums related to "The Boondocks" animated TV series so I figured I'd post it here. Fragile readers beware, this is a serious and potentially controversial topic. You don't have to agree with me, but this is my little brain dump and I'd like to let others read it. If you have a sufficient argument (with some intellect behind it) feel free to debate, but here goes:

Anybody who sets or adheres to a policy that one race can do something and another can't (like say "the n word") is a racist.

I don't consider it important to mention what "color" or "race" I am, but suffice it to say that I've lived (throughout several states) in "the projects", inner city, suburbs, "redneck" country, been homeless, lived in a 3 bedroom house on an estate by the water and more. In the projects and city I said "the n word" and was called "the n word" on a daily basis and it didn't mean a thing until I moved somewhere else and experienced people selectively interpreting the term as offensive. I've seen different "rules" about who can and can't say it in every different place I've lived (even ones like "n*gga" is different from "n*gger" and places that say Latinos and South Americans are qualified; did you know the English have used it to refer to the Irish?). I understand full well the history and the connotation of the word, but as it stands today it's not about the word, it's about the intention.

If someone wants to be offensive it doesn't matter what words they use, they're going to be perceived as offensive. If someone wants to be offended, it doesn't matter what the circumstance is, they will find something to be offended about. Some people strive for drama (like people who react every time a non-"black" *person* says it) and some people are afraid of it (like people who aren't racist but are afraid to say the word because they figure people will think they are) but, ultimately, all of these responses are just giving power to something that is nothing more than a word. If I say sh*t or f**k today most people will just think it's normal or maybe somewhat irresponsible, but there was a point in time when it was very offensive (the term "curse words" comes from the idea that people would literally be cursed for using them; clearly they weren't and people realized it and moved on). What changed? The words didn't; only the mentality did. Just the same, people also say "bless you" because at some point people thought that sneezing expelled the soul from the body and that "blessing someone" would somehow put it back in or protect them.

We set the standards by living them, so you can support racism by taking a racist stance (like one person can say something that another can't) or you can move on and live your life like nobody is different which will (even if only slowly) change the general mentality and (hopefully) abolish racism/sexism/*ism. Remember that freedom is the right to do whatever you want so long as you don't affect someone else's right to do what they want.

We learn new things every day and the thing that holds us back more than anything are the people who refuse to move forward. Grow up, help mankind, and get over yourself and the past to work for a better future. Cracker, Wap, Porch-Monkey (somebody! quick! take it back! ;p), Spic, whatever: it doesn't matter unless you let it. We can't change the past; no word will ever be eliminated, sometimes most people just stop using it. Then again I'm being a bit loquacious, which is a word that is hardly ever used today (though I did wind up using it the other day), but it's still available when someone (like myself) wants it.

Who's to say any culture is "ours" or "yours" or anyone else's for that matter?! Ethnicity isn't about race (scroll down); it's about shared experiences and learning, much more frequently associated with location and is sometimes associated with a minority group, but only in a more recent and selective definition which also requires you to interpret religion in the same boat (anybody have any preconceptions about Muslims?). People appreciate and learn new cultures; the people that made Adult Swim what it is were appreciating Japanese culture and then it slowly became that of the "nerd" which the majority of were smart enough to appreciate anything made with some sort of intellect and humor (like "The Boondocks"). In any given week I eat food from at least 5 different cultures, including the "American" culture which has basically been a very recently evolved combination of many other cultures. Ultimately there are people who are trying to pretend they're something they're not so that people will see them a certain way ("cool" perhaps?) which, no matter whether it be "black" culture or the "popular" clique, always stand out as idiots who aren't confident or happy enough with themselves to be real. Anybody that makes "exceptions" to these racist institutions does so on the basis that someone is being "real" as opposed to being a "poser." You can pretend they're all different situations if you want, but you're selectively interpreting things to make your own life easier so you don't have to learn and evolve your own perspective. People want everyone else to see the world the way they do (subjectively) instead of trying to look at the world objectively and learning about their own inaccuracy. "Black" "Hip-hop culture" isn't even remotely close to what it was 10 years ago, let alone like the "black culture" of slavery or Jim-Crow-era post-slavery; cultures grow and evolve as people interact and move from one to another. Check the British Lady Sovereign et al on "The Battle" and you'll catch a completely different infusion of cultures made by people of multiple "races" - it doesn't matter what color they are or where they're from. Once you get past the accent you have to admit they spit real fire.

I'm seriously concerned about how many people look at this topic without ever taking a step back and looking at the big picture. With any luck the world will now be a better place; thanks for your time if you made it through all this.

Be real (Aaron McGruder would be),

-TheXenocide