KOM is a big fat racist

I've also noticed that KOM is as likely as not to refer to himself in the 3rd person.

I received an interesting comment on one of my recent posts. Anonymous states, simply, "you sound like a big fat racist." I was torn about responding to this comment. You know, the whole 'acknowledge them and the terrorists win' scenario. But I've also been thinking a lot about comments made by Stephen Jackson regarding the NBA dress code. So I guess it's time for LP's monthly race-inspired post.

Anonymous, who incidentally left her IP address and location, came to LP through a Blogger search for the term "asian woman". This lead her to the post titled "Autumn dreaming", linked above.

This post begins with me describing two women that I saw in a bank. One of them happened to be Asian, the other white. Why did I mention this? I mean, it wasn't really necessary to the story. By way of an answer, I will re-submit the post in its entirety, all possible offending material removed.


All-seasons inclusive, non-sexual fantasizing

I was in a place. I noticed two earth natives. One of them smiled.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I like sweats.


Hmm. This didn't turn out as I had hoped - that's actually a pretty funny post. Well, good enough for these pages, anyway. My point was supposed to be that description is necessary to the immersion of the tale. All verbs and no adjectives make Jack a dull story.

I stated that I assumed that the Asian woman (heretofore 'younger woman' to avoid typing "Asian woman" and "white woman" over and over in a post about racism) was the older woman's care provider. Why? Because she was handling the older woman's accounts, and was clearly not blood related. Could she have been a daughter-in-law? Why the heck not. That's why I wrote "assumed". It could have been any number of scenarios. Yet, regardless of the relationship, she was providing the older woman a service. That counts as a 'care provider', right? Besides, is there a stereotype that I've missed about Asian care-givers? If I had written that I assumed the younger woman was responsible for the older woman's laundry, then I think Anonymous would have had more of a point. It would have been stereotypical and taken completely out of context.

I also stated that I assumed that the younger woman was bilking the older woman. Again, is this a stereotype that I've missed? Are Asians known by everyone but me to be predatory cheats? Or have we come so far in Bleeding Heart Land that only white males are capable of doing negative things? Why did I assume that the older woman was being bilked? Because I would have done it. While meant in jest, I think it's pretty clear that I was projecting my own psyche onto the younger woman.

So, Anonymous, I submit that if anyone is racist here, it's you, in that race matters to you in more than an incidental fashion. I was just describing the situation - you are the one with the hang-ups. Don't lay 'em on me.

Moving to the NBA.

Has everyone lost their fucking minds? Why is there even debate about the dress code? It's racist to ban wearing chains or pendants outside of clothing while "on the clock"?

When did racism stop being about civil rights and become the bogeyman of every person who doesn't like a situation? Didn't get your white-ass into college? Blame the native American who "stole" your scholarship. Didn't get the job as a hostess? Could it be because you don't speak English? A dress code at work? Must be the man trying to stamp out your culture.

I'm not even going to bring up the McDonalds uniform argument. It's too obvious.

What I see are a bunch of spoiled brats that get paid ridiculously well to play a game, yet cry foul when they are required to present themselves as the league sees fit.

Jason Richardson states "You still wear a suit, you still could be a crook. You see all what happened with Enron and Martha Stewart. Just because you dress a certain way doesn't mean you're that way."

That's truish, in and of itself. Don't judge a book by it's cover, and all that. Except that it completely misses the point. Will requiring the players to dress a certain way help the league? I don't know, and I couldn't possibly give less of a fuck. But theirs is not to wonder why, theirs is to but play and... well, not die. Get paid a lot, I guess. Once they own the league, they can set their own rules (and lord knows that the players make enough money that they could buy it.) In the meantime, when management says "jump shot", they should say "how high?"

Says Jackson, "I love wearing my jewelry. But I love my job. I love playing basketball more than I love getting fined and getting suspended."

Amen.

And if I'm wrong, maybe I am a big fat racist.