What has gotten under my skin lately is this thing of political correctness. Specifically, if a non-white person is involved in anything, it becomes an issue of race. Has everyone forgotten the history of America? It's not that long of a history, just over 200 years, so it shouldn't be that difficult to remember that every person that now is an American has ancestors that called some other country home. Except for Native Americans (which I grew up calling "Indians"), this is probably a fact. Is it too much of a stretch to say that, if you were born in the U.S of A., you are an American, same as all the other Americans? Can't there just be one race?
Born during the Industrial Age, I remember that all the technological advances in manufacturing were supposed to free humanity - free up our time, work less, learn more, evolve more, etc. Now that we're in the Information Age (if that's what we're calling it now), there are more and more technological advances at breakneck speeds of advancement and adoption, yet we are less free, work more, learn less and we've regressed in development. When is it that we will no longer find it necessary to kill each other over differences of opinion? When will we stop thinking that color of skin, age, creed, religion, gender, attractiveness, height and weight are attributes of worth and value?
Speaking of gender, what can a man possibly have that I don't that automatically makes him more valuable and worthy? I don't walk around thinking that I am a female, therefore I can and can't do this or that. I am a person, period. Humanity has come eons past the point of physical strength as a necessity for survival, and the only time that comes into play in the 21st century is when a man is dominating or abusing a woman. Why is it a woman's fault when she becomes pregnant? Why isn't the other half of that tango just as responsible for the child - for at least 18 years? Why is it more difficult to get child support out of a father than it is to get that 'little donation' in the first place?
Then there's this thing about immigration. This wouldn't even be an issue if it weren't for an invisible line between Mexico and the US. Suppose that one day in the not too distant future, the borders we close now to prevent more competition for few jobs become prison bars that we cannot break through to escape the third world country that business creates. What then? This isn't the first time this card has been played. Don't you remember how we resented the Chinese, the Italians, the Polish and the Irish for coming to the US and taking our jobs? Was that true? It wasn't then, and it isn't now. This dissension keeps us separate from each other so that we won't get together and discuss how things can be better for all of us, not just the few. As long as we hate each other, it's business as usual.
What in the world are kids learning in school these days? It not the English language, based on the way that kids spell and construct sentences on blogs, text messages, emails or instant messages. The greatest power we have, the Internet and the ability to communicate with many, is frivolously thrown away. If there is a message in the drivel they call writing, I don't understand it. Just like brushing your hair and teeth are signs of your sense of self-worth, so is how you present yourself in writing. Learn the language and communicate your value. You are valuable!
That's my list of pet peeves for today. Tomorrow, I'll think of more.
