Race.

I think this post will cause a firestorm, and frankly, I'm okay with that. Not for page views, not for talk about it, but because I feel that what I am about to say...needs to be said. 

I am white. And according to some people, that makes me an automatic racist. 

Okay, that was a big statement, let me back up....

This isn't the first time I've been in the middle of a race discussion. I'm quite passionate about the subject.

One started when someone mentioned that there was white people on the subway, must be tennis season. 

Another one started when someone said that "that's such a white thing". 

And finally, the one I'm writing about started when I read a blog post, linked by someone I follow on Twitter. This blog post was written by a mama, to a little boy, who asked for a white barbie doll for Christmas. The mother basically went through this whole identity thing, and why did he want a white doll, etc, (I'm paraphrasing...obviously) and one of the lines she said to him (and I quote this part) after he asked why she wouldn't buy it for him was: “Because YOU aren’t white! Why would you want white Barbie?”

*hold. the. phone.* I chuckled, surely this mother was kidding..right? I mean..there was really no way she could honestly say that because she was black, she was refusing to buy her son a white doll. 

.......

Here's my issue with this. I'm not judging this mom. This has happened more than just this one occasion....on twitter, in real life.

If I were to say to my son...No, H-Man you cannot have the black one because WE AREN'T BLACK! I would be a racist. Instantly. No questions asked.

When I'm not a racist at all. I would give my son a black doll, a white doll, a purple, pink or rainbow polka-dotted doll. I would teach him that even though we are not that race, there is nothing wrong with being that race. Just the same as people who do not have brown hair like you, aren't wrong. 

To me, this is breeding racism. Telling my son that he can't have something because we aren't that race sends the message that there is something wrong with being that race.

I'm a single mother. H-Man's father is in no way, shape, or form a part of his life. Here's the thing: I don't want my son judged because of it. Does that mean I'd NOT let him have a "Daddy" doll? Of course not. All families are different. Some have two mommies, some have no daddy, some have a black mommy and a white daddy, some have two daddies, some have no mommy or daddy and only have grandma and grandpa. 

I don't want my children to grow up in a society that breeds racism. That breeds white people to stay with white 'things' and black people to stay with black 'things'. I don't want my children to grow up in a place that they are considered racist because they aren't that race. 

It's not just white people who could be racist. 

Do you know how many people have called me "so white"? What is that? As opposed to, what, ..."kind of white"? Is that really a way to describe someone? Someone told me because I spoke proper English and had good manners...it made me ''so white''. Are you kidding me?  Now turn the tables, if I had said to a ___(insert different race here)__  the flip side of that, I would have been racist. Racism works both ways. 

Racism isn't defined by being black, white, purple, yellow or green. Racism is defined as 'hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.' There's nothing in that definition that says only a certain race can be racist. Or a certain race could have racism against them.

 

Now, I understand...I'm not black, I don't 'get it'. And if you thought this, you'd be right. I don't 'get it'. I don't know where other races are coming from. But in the same respect, they don't know where I'm coming from either. Having this kind of attitude, isn't going to help 'it' either. It's not going to help us get any closer to there being no racism...to all races being equal and loved and accepted and appreciated. Just the same.

*I approve all comments, but I ask them to be respectful of everyone. I only keep comment approval on so I can actually read them. ;)*

Joe Scarborough....

You may be the first republican I've remotely supported.

No really...you might be.

"Republicans have a problem. The most-talked-about figure in the GOP is a reality show star who cannot be elected. And yet the same leaders who fret that Sarah Palin could devastate their party in 2012 are too scared to say in public what they all complain about in private." -Joe Scarborough

 

A-MEN!!!

If republicans want to be taken seriously at all, they honestly need to give Palin the boot. She's been steadily going through a list of former presidents and first ladies and spewing the insults left and right.

Whoever gets the 2012 nomination on the republican ticket needs to make very sure that Sarah Palin isn't endorsing them that much. She sticks her foot in her mouth more than she helps.

Maybe she should stick to reality t.v...and books...and whatever else she makes all her money doing....

Free Speech...where do you draw the line?

If you've been on twitter today, or uh...anywhere... you've heard about the pro-pedophilia book being sold on Amazon.com.

There's lots of arguing about whether or not this should be covered under First Amendment rights.

The First Amendment is: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

In no way, shape, or form do I endorse, support, or believe in this book. I am horrified that someone has the type of mind to sit down and honestly write out thoughts such as these.


However...that being said...

The author, Phillip R. Greaves II, is well within his legal right to write and publish this book. Although it is ''wrong'' in our eyes, he is well within his Free Speech rights to write this book. Should he be able to? Of course he should. Once again, I do not support this book. But if we start silencing some voices in what we believe is ''wrong'', where do we end? What happens when people who don't like or believe in democrats, want my blog silenced...because it is ''wrong''. There is just too much gray area to distinguish between what is wrong and not. Free Speech includes wrong and illegal things. There's plenty of articles about cocaine, marijuana, heroin and the likes of it. Those are illegal, they are ''wrong'' in many peoples eyes...yet they're still there. There's even books sold on these topics on Amazon.com.

Have you ever heard of the Westboro Baptist Church? They picket...yes, picket....American soldiers funerals with graphic, hateful signs. They picket the same people who are fighting for us to keep the right to allow them to do this. This is unspeakably horrible to those families who are hurting and suffering. What it comes down to though...it is well within their First Amendment Free Speech rights to get out there and picket whatever they want with whatever signs they want. Yes, we believe this is ''wrong''. They...do not.

In the USA, we have free speech. And although there are times, where this may come to ''bite us in the bottom'' (so to speak) in these two above instances...Thank God we have it. Can you imagine having to say what the government wants you to? Not being able to voice your opinions for what you wholeheartedly believe in? Yes, the book and the people protesting are horrible. Yes, I believe that they are wrong. But I believe they have the right to be exactly where they are.

**I ask you keep your comments respectful at all times. All comments will be approved, but nasty, hateful, and disrespectful ones will be deleted.**

Palin 2010?

During the 2010 midterm elections, Sarah Palin officially endorsed 64 candidates, while she publicly campaigned with only 13 of them, about half of them won. While most of them were already slated to win, she is talking up her impact on the elections.

Does this make her a prime candidate for 2012? Palin for President?

Personally, I don't think endorsing candidates make you a ''shoe in'' for President. Others are arguing. What's your take?

Obamacare

Really, what started the inspiration of this blog was a little (nay, large) rant I had on Twitter about nasty comments I was reading.

One that got me started was on Obamacare.

Here's the thing: Obamacare ISN'T perfect. It's far from it. As an avid Obama supporter, I will admit that. However, it is farther than anyone else has gotten. Good for him for getting something into place. Insurance shouldn't be a privilege. Insurance should be a right. No one deserves to lose their house because their child is sick. No one deserves to have a child denied for a pre-existing condition. No one deserves that. Not just children, but adults. No one deserves to have the wonderings, and what-ifs of no insurance.

The people who say "Obamacare isn't the way. Universal healthcare is bad." probably have never, ever experienced any of these situations. They have probably never had the issue of their child being ill without insurance, or them being ill without insurance...without any back up money to fund the treatments and appointments.

Put yourself in those people's shoes who have had these problems. And then rethink your position on healthcare.

It's not perfect, but if we come together, we can make it perfect.

I believe...

I believe in democrats. I believe in voting for who is the best candidate, not the party's candidate. I believe in being informed. I believe in being up to date. I believe in making the best decisions for you and your family. I believe in our president. I believe insurance shouldn't be a privilege, but a right. I believe every woman has the right to choose. I believe government has no say in the vaccinations I give or don't give to my children. I believe in the power of voting. I believe in the rights of democracy. I believe anyone has the right to get married, whether to man, woman, or ape. I believe in the constitution. I believe in the rights of the average person. I believe tax cuts shouldn't go to the more privileged. I believe in hand up's not hand out's. I believe in helping each other. I believe you are only as strong as your weakest link. I believe in working across party lines. I believe in this country. I believe we will get out of this mess. I believe we can do this, only if we work together.