By Tracy Steffenson
I would like to time travel back to the late 80’s for a moment. When I was a kid, and got tired of playing a game everyone else was playing, all I would have to say is “I’m out!” and they would all leave me alone. Well I would like to try this for all the people who yell racist at the drop of a hat, “ I AM OUT!”
Did it work? Well I guess we will see. As far as political correctness goes and racism, there really is no such thing. Every individual will take things differently based on their experiences. For example, if I say I saw a bunch of white people hanging out at the park. I am racist because I specified what I saw. Ok, I thought I was just being descriptive but I guess I am a racist. It’s reality, I saw what I saw, deal with it.
If I said I got held up for a meeting because of a gang fight downtown, someone would scream racist at the top of their lungs. But with closer examination, I never specified a color now did I? If you assume I was speaking about Asians, Native Americans, Caucasians or African Americans that is on your head, not mine. In my book that makes you racist, not me, right?
Lets play an association game. If I say “Miss America,” you think of a beautiful woman right? Right. If I say “Football Player” you think about a big mean guy in pads. Now, what color did you make them? Yep that is what I thought, you made them a curtain skin color but you don’t want to admit it. You know what, don’t sweat it. I don’t feel someone is racist because they read some words and make assumptions based on their previous experiences. It doesn’t make you racist, it makes you human!
In my opinion, anyone who would find these comments racist, is in fact the racist themselves. But if people still want to say that I am racist because if a read the word “jockey” I see a short white guy in funny pants. I do not see a faceless, colorless blob riding a horse. Is it a big deal? No it’s not. Get over it.
I am sorry but racism will never go away as long as every stays in the same mind set. Just because someone makes a comment about going to the Indian Casino doesn’t make them a racist. Or is someone said the mafia is made up of mostly Italians and Sicilians, which is based on fact, it doesn’t make them a racist.
The thing that I don’t get is that every ethnic group seems to go out of their way to promote stereotypes but if you mention them, watch out because they are going to start slinging terms at you and freak out. They want it both ways. So all I have to say to close is, “I’m Out!”