Living Proof

We learn from our environment, but we can also change it. Every time I hear someone use a slang word for a particular race, religious person or someone from the LGBT community, I cringe - even if I find out later on that the word isn't so much a bad word. For instance, about 15 years ago, I remember my wife brought home a friend of hers for dinner. Now my wife and her friend are both Puerto Rican and share very similar things, like food, culture, family, etc. They're used to certain words being thrown around that I'm not familiar with, and of course some in Spanish. Now I admit, I can be sensitive to certain things. With that being said, while making dinner, her friend looked over at what I was cooking and said, "It must be a gringa thing." I shuffled into the office and typed into Google "gringa" and saw a slew of people commenting on how "gringa" was a derogatory term for a white person. I also saw some comments arguing, saying that it wa...

How can anyone be comfortable mocking another race, even if you think it's just "slightly" offensive? For me, I'm even afraid to say "black person" in front of a…black person. Then again, "African American" seems so incredibly wrong to me because the said "black person" may just be Jamaican or Haitian. Why are we so politically correct with the whole white and black labeling…? Because we're so so sensitive. But what I can't understand is why one race can do this , and the other race can't do that . Still confused?  Bear with me. Here are my thoughts… Throughout the years, I was taught the "N" word was the worst offense of all. Now you have black people calling each other "nigga" and to make matters even worse, you even have white and hispanic people using this word as well. They have NO right using the "N" word, even if they pronounce or spell it with just an "a" at the end...

Mmhmm… Who is Duck Dynasty? What is Duck Dynasty? I never heard of this reality show until recently, when one of the stars, Phil Robertson made a few comments regarding homosexuals and black people. Everyone was offended. Apparently, this is a show based on some hillbilly in the south who made millions from their family-operated business, Duck Commander, operated in West Monroe, Louisiana, which makes products for duck hunters. Not bad. I guess anyone can get a reality show these days. I never watched it so I really can't be the judge whether it's good or not. But seriously, who gives a flapping rat's ass over what this old hillbilly has to say about anyone or anything? He's almost 70 years old and lives in the south. EXPECT IT! We're all so offended! Phil even got fired from his freedom of speech. The funny thing is, I was more shocked over his comment made about black people because it's completely untrue. First, my initial "offense": black p...

About ten years ago, I picked up Madelene's father, Tom from the hospital because he had gotten a procedure done to relieve his sinus congestion. We drove off to the pharmacy to pick up his pain meds and Mad went inside while we waited in the car. While we were sitting there waiting, a young black kid maybe in his late teens or early twenties was across the street just hanging around with his buddies. He wore a blue bandana tied around his head like Tupac, a sweatshirt with a hoodie and his jeans were sagging so low, that his entire ass was exposed in his boxer shorts. It looked ridiculous. His crotch was down to his knees. I was hesitant to say a word, being that it may come across as a racial remark, but I couldn't help it. I said, "You know, I'm not a racist --" and I was cut off by Tom immediately. "I know! I know what you're going to say! It's not being racist, it's the way these kids dress today whether they're black or white. They mak...