Today was an interesting day to say the least. But something happened. After class, after dinner, I was typing up my Spanish homework when something on the television caught my ear. I was just thinking about how frustrated I was because I didn't understand what happened today, and feeling mixed feelings about wanting it to continue. I don't even watch "The Office," although Steve Carell is hilarious, but I turned around because I heard them talking about teaching racial tolerance. I'm not sure if this is an old episode or a new one, but the few minutes I watched made me feel better. Racism is a serious problem, but comedians make light of it all the time. So if we go to comedians and laugh, why are cartoons offensive? I realized I was still using the part of my brain I used when I watched those Disney movies fifteen years ago. I was only looking at the good parts. When I was a kid, I only saw the good parts because no one taught me about bad things like racism. But today, I didn't see the bad parts because I was afraid to. And I was still angry and still confused and still wondering why can't we just pretend there is no color until I heard a voice behind me say how pretending there is no color is just fighting ignorance with ignorance. Maybe I just needed to hear someone else say it. But I thought I'd share the clip, because it made me feel like discussing racism, while it will be difficult, might be a good thing after all, if done in a calm setting. This clip isn't for laughs, it's for educational purposes. Steve Carell's character, Michael, has done a Chris Rock skit at work, and people complain, causing the office employees to take a racial tolerance class. Just pay attention to what Mr. Brown is trying to teach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb-meG47XWM
The crazy part is, the person (Michael) that needs the most education in this department is the one who doesn't understand it. I think this happens a lot. And I think people get mad and let their emotions fly off the handle because they are offended by something that wasn't meant to offend. But that was one of the questions in class. Does motive matter? Does it matter if you are just quoting a comedian or rapping along to your favorite song? Why is it funny when Chris Rock says a bad word but not when Steve Carell does? Okay answer that. You said because Chris is black and Steve is white. Now tell me why it's okay for Eminem to say it. Is it okay because he's friends with black people? No it's because it's music. Entertainment. Right? Which is it? Because honestly I don't know where the line is anymore. People spent so many years being racist that now, as we are trying to go the opposite direction of our grandparents, I feel like anything I say or do could be taken in an offensive way. Cartoons are racist? So what is there going to be an eternity of people walking on egg shells and being too scared to say their opinion or what? I'm so frustrated at not knowing what is okay anymore that I just shut down earlier and decided I was not going to be a part of this because it is too hard. But something in me changed when I heard that actor on "The Office" talking about the same thing that had been bothering me all day. I want to learn, and understand how other people feel, and WHY they feel that way, but I don't want to be attacked or called names for having an opinion. So let's try this again. Play nice.
What a serendipitous moment, Keri. Thank you for being so courageous to be honest here. I think you're absolutely right; because we're afraid to have the conversation, because it seems so massive and undefined, we tend to shut down. Let's see if we can break down some of these walls together.
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