Middle America: Everyone knows it but nobody thinks it. At least, that's what we'd like to say while ranting. Good on you, my pres, but I doubt they still lynch in Cleveland. Wish I could help, but I've never been to that part of the country.You either talk about Television, Relationships, or the Weather, and when you're talking about Television you say how great/bad the sports game was or how hilarious that one show is. Fuck.
Cincinnati, not cleveland. And no, I doubt I'd be lynch but still. I guess I'm just also super not used to just casual racism thrown down in the middle of a conversation either? I was just talking to a person one time and the discussion got on to crime rates and I brought up how new game consoles would get stolen at launch events. And the one person NOT INVOLVED was like "well that's just their culture, you know, the blacks." And I just stopped. I don't understand this fucking country.
Damn, my geography's all off. Allow me to drop a book-bomb here: [http://www.amazon.com/Blues-People-Negro-Music-America/dp/068818474X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1394349000&sr=8-1&keywords=blues+people](Blues People), because it is one of the best books that tracks African heritage in American music. Also, I meant to edit the syntax above because my "help[ing]" is ambiguous; gave a second thought about it and I thought I wrote I was going lynching. Hell no! I'm... not black; but, my Mexican co-workers call me a "wigger" all the time and it's super uncomfortable. They call me over when there's extra cheese to eat, (I work at a greek place, so feta abounds), and I don't know, sometimes I don't know what to say so I just start speaking Spanish.
That's racist as shit. Also I should be clear, I'm white, which I'm sure is why they say it, but it's still racist and super uncomfortable that they think I'd be okay with it. Also I do fit the white stereotype of loving cheese, so you can give me all your extra cheese.
Yep. I recently went on a cruise, which I'd like to think represents a fairly unbiased, randomized cross-section of middle America. Only once did I hear a conversation that I would consider not to be a total waste of breath. Goddamnit it, if OP's rant doesn't sum up my own feelings about my own locale. No idea why this has stuck with me... but when I was 10 years old, one of my teachers had a poster on the wall that claimed "Small minds talk about people. Average minds talk about events. Great minds talk about ideas." From the moment I first read it, I knew it to be true, and time has certainly verified it further. JTHipster, it sounds like you're an idea man, 6 months isn't enough time to really lay down roots, find like-minded people, and build fulfilling relationships. Most "thinkers" are shy and hesitant to open up out in the real world, because they can't connect when they don't watch sports, sitcoms, listen to radio, or buy into whatever bullshit pop culture fad is current. You could even run into one and never know, because it's much less risky if everyone sticks to their little scripts. Anyway, hang in there, hubski is rooting for you. :)