Today....
I questioned, again, actor Michael Richards apology for his racist outburst. Supporters are loading their pistols with clips of rehearsed ammo already I know. "What more do you want from him?!" is the typical sympathizers response, but stems more from empathy and bias. Many people, white and other, have been in or can imagine being in Mr. Richards shoes: being accused of being a racist. A harsh accusation in America, but before you jump on the "get off his back"-bandwagon, hear the other side. By others I mean any minority who has been the victim of verbal racism which, in this case, is the Black community.
I understand the possibility of saying things you dont really mean in times of anger with the sole purpose of hurting your target, it happens. But even when angry or inebriated, words dont just appear from nowhere. During those times, you lose inhibitions, not gain random insight. You may put the moves on a girl youve thought was cute, but you probably wont kiss your male drinking buddy. In anger, you may call attention to your friends slightly large nose knowing theyre insecure about it, but you probably wont tell them youve always hated them and their family - these thoughts, of loathing or lust, existed before; they just were released(This applies to you too, Mel). And I am neither publicist nor psychic, but I planned out his response in detail as soon as I heard about the comments. Typical celebrity: Blame it on larger, uncontrollable problem to gain sympathy(drugs, anger, or drinking), get celebrity friends to admit how out of character this behavior is and how good of a guy you are, affiliate yourself with offended partys leadership, then check into self-help center(rehab). Typical.
Then again, maybe he really isnt a racist, and really is sorry.
What matters most is what happens now.
It seems this has awaken what to some was an accepted affliction, to others a lost cause, and still to some, a dead horse - racism.
Rev. Jesse Jackson, NAACP leaders, and even pro-black comedian Paul Mooney have joined forces, calling for the N-word to be abolished from everyones vocabulary, including rappers and comedians. As a black man who has previously tried, and failed, to end its usage, I know how tall of an order this is. But this time, I am inspired. And, perhaps more importantly, not alone. Like a mothers labor pains before the miracle of life, those hurtful, hateful comments were but a prelude to the birth of a movement. -j

Today....
A twenty-four year old Iraqi man is likely to get a tatoo, even though Muslim law forbids it. Its becoming popular amongst many of his peers these days. Apparently, it's very likely for them to be kidnapped, tortured, and killed, so they get their names and info tatooed on places least likely to be disfigured by torture in order to insure their families will locate them for proper burial.
This war is taking its toll on me. Its easy for many Americans not to think about it: its only natural to become numb to such constant conditions. But reading about Ali Abbas- searching from morgue to morgue, rummaging through bodies for his kidnapped uncle who could only be identified by the name tatooed on his thigh- it was a blunt reminder that while we only have to hear the occasional death toll update, hundreds of thousands of people have to face grim reality everyday. The hardest decision I had to make that day was whether to eat pizza, like I was craving, or the healthier but more expensive choice of a turkey sandwich. That same day, Ali, who is the same age as me, was choosing to defy his religion in expectation of torture and death. Yes, life in Iraq is quite different than here. I can forget how priveleged my life really is, but a reminder what people need. Its true people need to count their blessings, but it shouldn't end there. They need to remember the victims, alive and dead, and the families living with the consequences of "Operation: Iraqi Freedom" everyday. Everyday people much like you and I have face unimaginable circumstances. The city is bombed out and depleted, the economy is in ruins with unemployment as high as fifty percent in some places, and white people roam the streets with high caliber weapons, accusing them of "fitting the profile", all while dealing with the death of loved ones. They still have the same problems we have on top of all that: work will suck, dishes will need to be done, children will need to be raised, and bills will need to be paid. All Im asking is that we remember. If we can remember, and sympathize, we will take action. We wont ignore the news about the rest of the world, thinking it doesnt affect us. We'll speak what's on our minds instead of conforming. We'll make decisions from a human perspective, instead of looking at death tolls like they're only numbers. We'll vote. In Ali, I saw my life from another point of view. Maybe another point of view is what we all need....-j