Racism?

So, México...

I've been here for more than a month now and many things have happened since.

A week and a half after my arrival I ended up in Anaheim, CA, in the US for the internationally famous Anime Expo 2005. I should have posted about it earlier, but several... issues needed to be... resolved before hand. Suffice it to say that the repercusions of said events still linger over several individuals perception of right and wrong. But most of us have already began the road towards healing. Duuude. Peace.

Anyway. Afterwards I went camping. I love camping. I know several friends who would DIE if they attempted to survive in a few places we've camped before (I know some that have ended with broken bones... ^_^ accidental, of course.) but this time we tried... Tepoztlan.

Regardless of how cool and wild the place looks from the picture (click here it for more pictures of the place from the original owner), the truth is that we stayed in a designated camping area where we had the misfortune of having to share with: 1 Kids Camp (Complete with extremely dumb cheerleeders) 1 YMCA group and 1 group of priests. Fortunately, they didn't try to convert anyone (heh, would have liked to see them try...) but it was noisy and annoying and worst of all they have no manners whatsoever.

I spent the nights Storytelling for a Vampire: The Masquerade adventure. And don't even get me started on that crap "Requiem". White Wolf... if you want to control the "Power Players" then think of another way than messing such a cool game.

The following weeks will include a trip to Tampico (which is very far north), possibly a visit to Guanajuato (also north) for a Literature Congress and hopefully a trip to Chiapas (very, very far south, almost on the border with Guatemala). We shall see what transpires there.

Now, for the title of the present post... Racism.

Dictionary.com defines Racism:

rac·ism (rszm)
n.

1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

Ok. We cool on that, right? Good.

Recently I have found several instances of people claiming that "This or that or those is/are racist!" and I'm getting tired of hearing that crap. While in Los Angeles I watched the news where some American Media groups and political figues claimed that the Mémin Pinguín postal stamps were "racist" because the cartoon character (from a beloved comic book series dating back to the 1940's) was an exagerated black person. Seldom have I not read or heard crap from American Politics, but this is ridiculous. The character is so charming, so beloved, so envied and so creative that it completely nullifies the two defining points of what is considered Racism. (As a matter of fact, in the Phillipines, Memín Pinguín is an obligatory read for school students, as the educational system argued that it "puts a lot of value into respect for family and institutions.)

Another person claimed that One Piece (excelent Manga BTW) was also "kinda racist" because Luffy used an Afro during a boxing match. Furthermore, some people actually started arguing that it was because the Japanese and Asian people in general were Xenophobic and they did it to make fun of others...

Right. I won't deny that Japanese and Chinese are Xenophobic. It's true. It is a sad but undenyable truth. Specially with each other and the Koreans. But, it doesn't mean that if Luffy uses an Afro, or that Director Watanabe appears with afros in Excel Saga and Puny Puny Poemi it's to make fun of black people.

So, who are the ones insulted by this? Racists themselves. That's my conclusion. Censors are racist and people that find little tiny details that anyone with a brain would ignore but they hang on to as if their lives depended on it are also racist. At this point in time you will ONLY say something or another is racist if, and only if you are actually looking for excuses on a regular basis. What does basic psychology say about that?

Let me use an example. It is said that out of a group of 100 Homophobics, at least 85% will have homosexual tendencies or predispositions. Same goes for racism.

Racism exists only as long as people actively look for it. And, while a lot of people always get into fights over racism against blacks, let me point something out. MOST Black Stand Up Comedians make racist jokes about being black and/or how it makes whites get all racist.

The way I see it, doing that kind of crap indicates that the comedian himself (black, white, yellow or blue) is a racist to some level. Oh, you might argue that the fact that they make jokes about it means that they're not. To be fair, I will concede that a few, and very few of them might actually fall into that category. But why then bring it up again and again? By now it should be OLD. Why keep at it?

Like censors and elitist groups, they just keep fanning the flames... and as long as they keep it up, it won't dissappear.

But be warned: Being a racist or having something categorized as "racist" like in the comics mentioned above, just because a character has dark skin or an afro, is just an indication of how limited your view is, and therefore, how sad your miserable little existance will be.

Another thing that really bugs me is how people always see (and find) racism against black people, but ignore other forms that could be considered as such. Like that idiot Speedy Gonzalez. You want racism? There it is. It's a mouse. It's supposed to represent Mexicans in general. It dresses in a way that most mexicans (unless they live in very rural areas) don't dress like. It implies that all mexicans are simple minded like him. And do you get the Mexican government asking for Warner to remove it? No!

Bush Quote of Stupidity:

"I hope I stand for anti-bigotry, anti-Semitism, anti-racism. This is what drives me."

(Did someone explain to him what "Anti-Semitism" actually means? Or does he really hate Jews?)

I've spoken.

-Nya!

Take the Digipedia FunFic Personality Test!

Late post.

Well, I intended to make this post sooner, but several circumstances kept me from doing it... among them the connection here, which is worth nothing.

In any case...

I read this comic the other day... Commissioned Comic and I started to wonder... I agree completely with Oz that when someone takes YOUR special "Tool Of the Craft" you totally flip out and take it on the (often not-understanding) offender.

But, what are these "Tools Of the Craft" (TOCs) for different people? I know that artists and graffic Designers value their pencils and erasers over anything else. It's comlpete taboo to touch those. For a carpenter it would be a whole set of instruments vital to the proper success of their job. For us writers, the TOCs would be our special pens, or, in several cases including mine the computer.

While to many other people, like politicians, a computer is nothing more than a convenient tool to write reports or watch the news or check email, for a writer a computer is a REAL tool of the trade. Scores of stories and ideas are written down in otherwise inaccessible folders and files. While it is true that a cautious writer keeps several copies of their work in other media (print-outs, cds, flash-cards, 31/4 floppy disks) innevitably the most advanced copy is ALWAYS in the main hard-drive.

So, I know there are several people with completely different jobs and careers than mine, so tell me, which is your TOC?

Sad News...

A friend I haven't seen for a while, Fito, was hit by a car the other day while driving and a vein in his head burst. He is in intensive care right now, but chances are he won't make it. If my views of Death weren't so peculiar I would probably be a little bit more emotional about the whole thing, but I will only say the truth: He is a nice guy. Good to have around and good to talk to. Before the gap between us was created, he was a heavy drinker. And he cares for his friends. I don't yet know the whole story on how things happened, but, here's to him pulling through.

TEST

I took this one from Jenny's...

You Are a Hunter Soul

You are driven and ambitious - totally self motiviated to succeed Actively working to acheive what you want, you are skillful in many areas. You are a natural predator with strong instincts ... and more than a little demanding. You are creative, energetic, and an extremely powerful force. An outdoors person, you like animals and relate to them better than people. You tend to have an explosive personality, but also a good sense of humor. People sometimes see you as arrogant or a know it all. You tend to be a bit of a loner, though you hate to be alone. Souls you are most compatible with: Seeker Soul and Peacemaker Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Parcel

Ripton, I emailed you, talked to (or tried to and was ignored) by MSN since I asked you to tell me if you could check if the Amazon parcel destined to my place about two weeks ago had arrived or not. If you couldn't go, it's fine, but at least let me know so I can ask someone else to check. It's not my money on the line with that parcel, and there is a limit to how long the mail service will keep it if no-one picks it up. IF you found it just say yes and if you didn't and you tried then you could let me know.

In other news...

Some people might have felt offended or that I over reacted with what happened with Shun and the flat. Let me get some things clear.

1: I don't take kindly to threats. If you know I am your friend, then you should know I would not set you up to take the heat for me. How many times have I gone to apologize in person and talk things over rather than just ignore things?

2: My stuff is mine. If the situation was inversed I would just have dealt with it on my own and asked Shun for the money later when we talked again. I would NOT, I repeat, I WOULD NOT threaten to sell his computer to cover the costs. IF he didn't contact me I would mantain my faith in him as a FRIEND that there was some reason for him not to do so.

3: While I know Shun over-reacts sometimes, what really, really got to me were some people's Blogs saying there would be "Hell to pay", "Contact Shun ASAP or your computer is no more", etc. Read point 1 and consider the fact that:
a) you also know me and I have given you NO REASON to doubt me in such matters;
b) You would NOT like to be reminded like that of something that was a MISUNDERSTANDING;
c) Consider how fair is to be threatened with your own possessions at stake whether its a joke or not. IT IS NOT FUNNY.

I read some posts asking me to calm down. Well, I wont until this is settled. You have your peace and quiet again, Shun, yet no thank you email for getting things cleared out. Put yourself in my place and ask what you would like me to do.

I check Ripton's blog and read his kind reminder, yet, after two weeks of waiting for an answer to a favour asked, I still don't know anything about my parcel. Ripton, if I could do it myself I wouldn't have asked you to check, and if you didn't want to, you could just say no, but say it since the beginning. And if for some reason you couldn't do it, letting me know wouldn't make you my enemy or make me angry at you.

I quote: "We know you having fun, but £££ is £££ and £££ is very important. Especially when £££ involves friends. Carlos, if you want to see your computer alive, esp with your porn movies saved, and if you want to call Shun- your eternal friend- then you better read Shun’s email OK?"

Well, let me tell you something, precisely because it involves friends it shouldn't come down to several Blogs asking me to pay as if I had just ran away and let Shun to his luck.

If there is any doubt about just *why* I got angry at this situation, then re-read this. I don't consider any of the involved idiots, but I did think you had a little bit more faith in me.
I consider your actions as bad taste, lack of trust and blattantly insulting. If you do or don't agree with me, well you are always welcome to post, but don't pretend there is no limit to my patience.

Like Erin rightfully said: "I found that people who are normally surprised about someone else's lack of niceness, often doesn't realize that a person was being nice in the first place. Those who recognize what others do for them will not have a problem of shock if a nice person's personality suddenly changes." I realize this goes both ways, but at least I have the decency to admit it to the face of those I have wronged.

Cowardly Century

I find it extremely amusing how terrorist groups decide to take "responsibility" for bombings from safe places out of sight and dare claim that they "Fight" for a cause.

They destroy and attack civilians rather than the army, how brave is that?

I just hope none of my friends was hurt, since none of them are online right now, I really don't know... I'll check on later.

Well, I did check... thanks Erin for letting me know that everyone is okay.

2:36 AM. I just arrived from LA where I was unable to use internet and the first thing I find are problems with BOTH family and friends.

I was going to make a post about AX2005, but issues just follow me around.

Not only do some of my friends apparently think I set Shun up to pay rent for me and actually threatened to sell my computer to get the money (you'd be sooooooooooooooo dead friend or not and THAT is no threat) they actually left posts on their blogs hinting that I actually did it on purpose.

It turns up it was a mix up of Trevor's where he missunderstood how the payments were to be done. I talk to him for 5 minutes and it's fixed. Then, I call Shun and assure him that, yes, it's fine, he doesn't need to worry about paying. Then, a little more calm, I go check the blogs.

Ah. Angst comes back.

Certain people that haven't deigned to contact me on other matters now put posts that remind me to pay up, because apparently... I simply didn't want to do it and I'm such a lowlife that I enjoy getting Shun desperate about money. Yeah. Right. I love it so much that it's the sweet bread and honey that await my return home from the obviously boring and dull trip to LA.