There was an article in the Los Angeles Times yesterday about how some Middle Eastern-descent University of California applicants should classify themselves. The application choices for them are basically narrowed down to either “White” or “Other,” which many don’t feel accurately represents their race. With all due respect: GET OVER IT! (Let the hate comments begin…)
I realize many folks on this planet have race issues, good, bad or whatev. How about we just call ourselves carbon-based life forms and leave it at that? I’ll tell you one of my sob stories (wah wah wah waaaahh). Tenth Grade, University High, West Los Angeles, 1981. Gymnastics Coach announces that the school district is required to gather student race data, so we’re to raise our hand when our race is called. She goes through White, Black, then she yells out “Asian!” Up goes my power fist – I mean, my nice neutral hand wave.
Next she calls out Hispanic, then “Pacific Islander!” Um, okay, that makes more sense, after all, the Philippine Islands are in the Pacific Ocean. So, up goes my hand again. Coach stares me down and dramatically erases her paper on the clipboard. And then she yells – “Filipino!” (Frickin Frack!!) I hesitatingly raise my hand a 3rd time. I swear she clenched her jaw, slammed her clipboard down, and screamed out in the gym where it echoed, echoed, echoed, “Would you decide which one you ARE?!” Yeah, whatev.
So, I’ll leave you with this thought: Just because I’m Asian/Pacific Islander/Filipino DOES NOT mean I’m good at math or engineering — AND, I’m a damn good driver. Well, except for that time 15 years ago when I clipped a cement mixer. Oh and that time 23 years ago when I rear-ended a pickup truck at 5 mph. I still don’t know why his bumper fell off. I think it was like that already.
But just for fun, here are some math equations from the book New Math: Equations for Living
9 kids playing along so far ↓
1 Shawn
// Apr 2, 2009 at 7:16 am
Great blog post = Good content + Random Picture of the Hulk
2 marissa
// Apr 2, 2009 at 7:27 am
Lol. I threw Hulkie in because he was green (and we’re talking about color) and I could pose his Power Fist. Randomly, I like his abs.
3 ReformingGeek
// Apr 2, 2009 at 10:39 am
I love the math!
I’m tired of the race card. It’s a melting pot so it’s definitely hard to classify people into one category.
I really like the Standard Poodle.
ReformingGeek’s last blog post..Cooking Up the Thursday Trio
4 Joe
// Apr 2, 2009 at 12:51 pm
You clipped a cement mixer and rear ended a pickup truck? Well, I ran my father over with a golf cart and I was in a car that clipped a policeman. So there.
5 Joe
// Apr 2, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Top that.
Joe’s last blog post..For Marissa, who wanted a new post:
6 grannyann
// Apr 2, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Loved the part about you kept raising your hand. Bet she was really frustrated. Good work!
grannyann’s last blog post..From My Soap Box……..
7 marissa
// Apr 2, 2009 at 1:16 pm
ReformingGeek: My sister had a white Standard Poodle with all the topiary-like trimmings and bling. Yeah, not cool for a male dog though.
Joe: Yikes! Did you yell out “Fore!”? Double-yikes on the clipping of The Fuzz.
Grannyann: Yeah, and she was mean but tiny. I could’ve taken her.
8 Carpe Diem
// Apr 11, 2009 at 9:52 pm
I grew up “Coloring Outside The Lines.” With a Filipino father and a Creole mother, there was “no box” for me. Since my teachers had no idea on how to “classify” me, they based their decision on my maiden name.
I always wondered though, I had a rainbow of friends growing up and they could have cared less about my nationality. It was the adults making a big deal about my ethnicity. I guess coloring outside the lines wasn’t a comfortable place for them..
BTW, I’ll take a MUTT over a standard poodle any day..
CD
9 marissa
// Apr 11, 2009 at 10:14 pm
CD: Yeah, when I was in elementary school, same thing. This one parent told her son that I was one of the boat people that came over. I had NO idea what she was talking about, being only 9 and not following Viet Nam’s political scene that closely. All I knew was that I came over on a 747.
I guess ignorance is a comfortable place for some people.
As far as a doggy, I just want something that doesn’t poop – Ever.
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