(re-run) A few months ago, I was in Carmel visiting my favorite thrift stores. If you don’t like thrift stores, you haven’t been to the ones in Carmel! I got into a line to pay, and when it was my turn, and the woman had rung up my $89.00 worth of purchases, I whipped out… Continue reading Racism Embedded in our Language
Category: racist
Cancel Culture or Smart Companies?
Mattel started it off with their non-gender doll as an alternative to its Barbie doll. It’s because families were demanding it. Long gone are the days of girls dressed in pink playing with big-breasted Barbie dolls. Then Hasbro pulled the mister from Mr. Potato Head. Now it’s just called Potato Head with parts both feminine… Continue reading Cancel Culture or Smart Companies?
Antiracist (Racist?) Memory
I just picked up a book to read. It had a long preface, so I paged past it. Then there was a foreword, another preface, and then an introduction. Seriously? Chapter One didn’t start until page 25. I set that book down and picked up another one. The introduction ended on page 11, and the… Continue reading Antiracist (Racist?) Memory
Jack London — Was He a Racist?
Who doesn’t love the story The Call of the Wild? I used to teach it and also Jack London’s doomsday story called To Build a Fire when I taught 7th grade in Council Bluffs, Iowa. White Fang is another Jack London story that my 8th grade remedial boys liked to check out from my personal… Continue reading Jack London — Was He a Racist?
The Why of Tearing Down the Statues
I have half an hour before my Zoom exercise class begins. I was vacuuming when I came up with some thoughts to jot down before I lose them. On a 4th of July Zoom call the other day, the conversation turned to the protests in the streets and the tearing down of statues across the… Continue reading The Why of Tearing Down the Statues
Racism Embedded in our Language
(re-run) A few months ago, I was in Carmel visiting my favorite thrift stores. If you don’t like thrift stores, you haven’t been to the ones in Carmel! I got into a line to pay, and when it was my turn, and the woman had rung up my $89.00 worth of purchases, I whipped out… Continue reading Racism Embedded in our Language
The Day Grandma Got Woke
My mom loves to watch Ellen. It’s usually fun and games, with hunky guys and Ellen playing tricks on her guests and staff. She rounds out the hour with lesbian jokes, a musical performance by some obscure band, and Ellen surprising some needy but giving person with $10,000 in cash. Then the death of George… Continue reading The Day Grandma Got Woke
The Country on Fire
The country is on fire. Protestors have been gathering for three days now, just one week after George Floyd died while a police officer kept his knee on his neck until he was asphyxiated. George had used a counterfeit twenty dollar bill at a store. A 17-year-old girl filmed the agonizing ten minutes it took… Continue reading The Country on Fire
The Bad-date Picnic
(re-run) Laurie had graduated college and had boomeranged back home to Seattle. She met a cute guy with horn-rimmed glasses. He invited her on a picnic at the beach. She said yes. “Have fun,” her mom said when Greg came to the house. Greg drove to a sandy spot with a view of the city.… Continue reading The Bad-date Picnic
The Politics of Dating
(re-run) ****Dialogue on a first date between senior man and senior woman**** “You look nice.” “Sorry I am late.” “Let me tell you about my third wife.” “I have two dogs.” “I used to work on defense missiles.” “You must like to play video games.” “I like you.” “I am not a Republican, but I’ll… Continue reading The Politics of Dating
