Racial Jokes & Labels

by Lucky Red Hen on November 14, 2012

Maybe it’s too late for me to be pondering deep thoughts. My intent here isn’t to ruffle feathers, sound like I’m ignorant, or be politically publicly incorrect.

A lot of people joke about race and the stereotypes of race. Some of those people, if they’re not of that race, get chastised or labeled racist for making such jokes. But most of the people who ARE OF THAT RACE don’t get in trouble (for the most part; I’m speaking generally).

For instance, we watch a corny show called GRIMM when the kids are asleep. If you don’t know it, let me enlighten you (if you know it, skip to the next paragraph)… A Portland Police detective starts seeing faces of a few people morph into monsters but nobody else sees it happen. He learns from a relative that he comes from a long line of grimm’s, monster killers to protect the non-monsters (regular people). However, he prefers to be a cop and is a strict rule-follower so he decides that he’s not going to be a monster killer, which is confusing to the monsters because ALL grimm’s want to kill them, no matter how well-behaved they are in the real world. At first, his partner doesn’t know, but now he does (he’s the only non-monster who knows) and is going with the flow. Here’s where I get to my point, kind of, because all that might not have been necessary (but now you know the premise of the show in case you want to try it – remember it’s corny, but still clever if you can get past the lame stuff). Another officer at the precinct is in every episode as the witty, funny, officer who does the grunt/background work for the detective team.

During one of the cases, the Asian officer is working at the computer and makes a joke about how he should be able to break into the code because he’s Asian, it’s in his DNA or something. The way he said it was meant to be funny. It was a joke. We laughed.

If a non-Asian would’ve said the Asian should be able to hack it, people would’ve been all up and down his case, saying he’s racist.

That’s what makes me confused. It was meant to be a joke, it was said by an Asian about Asian’s, so is it okay that I thought it was funny or, in theory, does that make me a racist? Why is it okay for him to say it but not a non-Asian? There are several comedians who make horrible jokes about their own race and their same race laughs and laughs and laughs because they’re true/funny.

To be clear, I am not racist. My first couple boyfriend’s were black (African-American, dark, what?), my grandpa was full Hawaiian but looked black (and I loved him so much I named my firstborn after him; that’s got to prove my non-racistness), and I’ve dated Mexican’s (my First Love), formerly homosecksual (I broke up with him because he sold Amway creepily, not because he used to live a gay lifestyle), a Filipino, a short guy, some fluffy guys, a Samoan, cowboy’s, trailer trash (that’s probably rude, but you totally know what I mean when I say that and I liked the guy so I can’t be in trouble for the label because it is what it is – is there a PC alternative?), a homeless guy, and mixtures of others.

Wow. I sound trampy. Oops, probably not supposed to say that word either? See what I mean? It’s tricky to tap dance around what words to say or not and how do you explain what you’re talking about unless you cut to the chase and state the obvious?

Wait. How’d I get from racial jokes to labels? They’re kind of lumped together, don’t you think? Same theory that if you talk about someone’s race, their economic condition, where they’re from, who they’ve been, or what they look like on the outside it’s an automatic black mark against you because you’re mean but you’re not intending to be mean just stating a fact. When does a fact equal racism?

Did I make any sense to you?

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Dear President Obama

by Lucky Red Hen on November 7, 2012

November 7, 2012

Dear President Obama,
Congratulations on winning the electoral college for a second term as The President of the United States of America.

You did not win by a landslide, which is an important point. About half the country (of those who voted) want you as president and almost half the country does not want you as President. Hopefully you and the other decision makers of this country consider that and realize that you must compromise to make things happen.

I’ll explain. For instance, instead of forcing everyone to eat a meat and bean burrito, provide lettuce and chips and serve it all up buffet style so some can have a salad or nachos instead with the burrito fixings they prefer. You’ll please more people that way and get more support.

Mr. Barack Obama, you are my President. I sincerely hope you consider that as you make decisions, run the country, and speak on behalf of me and all the people of this great country. You are not just the President of the democrats, you are also President of the republicans, independents, etc.

Cordially,
a U.S. citizen

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31 Days of Head Shots #31 Ladies

by Lucky Red Hen on October 31, 2012

The other day I mentioned Georgia‘s birthday wish of photos of her friends. I showed you B.’s and now here are some more. Today is the last day of my 31 Days of Head Shots posts so I’m going out with a bang. I love these girls and their friendship. XoxO

We’ve got Jennyfivetina (Formerly Phread), Melody (Melody’s Garden), Lorien (The Lo Down), and Angie (PFlower)…






Thanks, everyone, for coming to my blog and to The Nester for suggesting joining in on all the fun. Wonder what I will do NEXT year!

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31 Days of Head Shots #30 Nick

by Lucky Red Hen on October 30, 2012

Everyone say HI to Nick. Nick is a special guy, I hope you can see that through this image. His dad sent me a bio on Nick so you could get to know him a little.

Nicholas James Gremmert.  The name sounded like a lawyer or doctor’s name to his parents, Arden and Eva Gremmert.  It was chosen well before his birth on a hot, sunny August 19, 1979 in Burien, Washington.  Nick’s life took a different path, however, and took his whole family on an odyssey that continues to this very day.

His mom knew the moment she saw her quiet little baby boy after her 30-hour labor.  His eyes were vacant and did not look like his older brother’s, born only 14 months before.  What it was about him, she did not know, but there was a major difference.  The hospital staff and doctors sought to reassure her that all babies are a bit different and unique, but she knew in her heart Nick was not “right”.

After 11 long months of doctor visits, struggles, and slow progress, mom and dad took him to a young neurologist already making a name for himself in professional circles.  His diagnosis after testing:  static encephalopathy, cerebral palsy, and a seizure disorder.  The news was compassionately delivered, but tough for his parents to fathom.

Now, 33 years later, with perspective only experience can bring, the truth of Nick’s path of life is much better known:  “He may never walk or talk” gave way to non-stop talking while walking everywhere.  “He’ll need therapy” is a vast understatement.  “He probably won’t read or write” fell by the wayside at Cedarcrest High School from which he graduated and walked first at graduation by insistence of his classmates.  He sings songs from memory, hundreds of them, and constantly amazes his extensive social network of family, friends, and acquaintances with his witty, timely statements.

His love of airplanes and travel is legendary to those who know him.  He will sit and watch airport takeoffs and landings by the hour during his many domestic and international trips with his family.  He’s been traveling to Ireland, Northern Ireland, England and across the USA since he was a tender seven years old and has a love like no other for the all the places, people, food, and things he enjoys without reserve.  His passport stamp record tells the tale.

Game shows and “Curious George” top his TV menu, while his favorite movies (watched regularly) are “Top Gun”, “Shall We Dance”, and “Forrest Gump”.  Music CDs and radio are constantly in demand with Nick:  everything from hymns to classic rock, country, western, and traditional Irish to top 40.  Quite eclectic in every sense of the word.

His religious belief in Jesus Christ is strong, and Nick’s testimony of His gospel is deep.  There is no more dedicated follower of the Lord’s way than Nick.

He lives with his parents out a dead end Tolt River road near Carnation, Washington, deep in the woods and happy in a family that loves and cares for him constantly.  He blesses their lives more than they can possibly bless his.

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31 Days of Head Shots #29 B.

by Lucky Red Hen on October 29, 2012

Firstly, this photo was taken years ago. Today, she’s still as beautiful, just smaller :)

Secondly, if you’re looking for a gift idea to give someone or to ask for yourself, consider the following.

Georgia requested that for her birthday the best thing she could want as a gift is a photo of her friends that she could keep in a dedicated album and look at it when she wanted to think about people who love her.

Well, if you’re like a LOT of people/friends, you don’t have a current photo of yourself that you’d like memorialized in an album. That’s where I came in. I secretly arranged for our girlfriends to come over and have me photograph them; I’d print them all up and present them to Georgia ON her birthday.

Tomorrow I’ll show you some of the others, but this one of B. is one of my most favorite photos I’ve ever taken.

Here’s the long version: B. loves Georgia very much and wanted to fulfill her wish for a photo but felt that she’s NEVER had a photo taken of her that she liked, she was the heaviest she’s ever been, and she isn’t photogenic. But she came, all dolled up, and said that if anyone could make her look good in a photo, I could (that’s a darned good compliment).

I put her at ease and explained that she doesn’t need to worry, nobody else has to see this photos if she doesn’t want them to, that it will just be a print that Georgia will have in her personal collection.

Well, of course, we got several photos of B. that show her joy, her love, her friendship, her compassion (she’s a nurse), her beauty, her awesomeness.

After showing her kids the pictures, and they raved and hooted and hollered and squealed, she had the courage to show her framily (remember that’s friends who are like family) at the hospital, people she’s worked with for over 20 years.

They cried. The loved them so much. They were proud of their friend, and that’s a good feeling knowing that you’re loved and beautiful.

B. IS beautiful. I love her.

P.S. The other part of the story is that there was one other reason she didn’t like any of her photos ever taken. She was born with a cleft lip, a permanent scar that causes her upper lip to be “parted on the side.” What? You didn’t notice that? Good, because you shouldn’t have (and I did not edit it one bit). But instead of noticing that (which is what she thought everyone saw when they saw her or her in photos) you see HER for who she IS. That’s my point.

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31 Days of Head Shots #28 Jet Set

by Lucky Red Hen on October 28, 2012

Are you kidding me with this beautifully pregnant woman?

Carina (you may know her as The Jet Set) was sitting by my window at her baby shower years ago when I snapped this image quickly between conversations.

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31 Days of Head Shots #27 Cathy

by Lucky Red Hen on October 27, 2012

This is one of my best friends, Cathy. Doesn’t the beautiful light coming in through my windows look amazing on my gorgeous friend? Yes, yes it does! This was taken on the fly (as in she wasn’t posing in a photo shoot) at Carina’s baby shower several years ago.

I’ll show you a photo of gorgeously pregnant Carina at that baby shower tomorrow :)

P.S. The word of the day is… GORGEOUS!

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31 Days of Head Shots #26 Adam

by Lucky Red Hen on October 26, 2012

Today this guy is getting married. He finally found the right girl who could keep up with all his sweet spunk. This photo was taken at our friend’s small wedding in a downtown park. He was single at the time and I thought he should have a head shot to pimp out and attract the ladies. So I plopped him on a picnic table and snapped about three times. Look at him. He exudes joy. This was a few years ago and he still uses my photo of him as his profile pic. That is a great compliment.

Congratulations, Adam! We wish you and Monica all the happiness and success in your marriage!

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