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wMay 13, 2007 | |
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High is the way / but our eyes are on the ground. Time has elapsed; Things have happened Whoa. The last couple of days have been a whirlwind of events. Friday was the last day of classes, which could be sad if I wasn't so concerned about my final projects. Almost immediately after class, I went over to Bleakhouse Books, a book publishing company at which I'll be an intern on weekdays when I'm not working full days at the Capitol. From what I can glean, they publish mostly mysteries and dark crime fiction. This article explains why I find them badass. They were uninterested in my resume, gave me books to read (and keep? I'm not sure yet), and are located in a part of town that I haven't yet explored, but is still within walking distance of the Capitol. Needless to say, I am very excited. So. That's obviously amazing. I think it's really cool that I'll enjoy both my jobs and my co-workers this summer, and believe in what I'm doing all the time, which definitely provides a stark contrast to last summer. Last night was the end-of-the-year party for The Daily Cardinal staff. I'm sad to have to be saying goodbye to my fellow copy editors, although I never really got too close to anyone else there, aside from Eunice, who I already knew. I might be back copy editing one night per week next year, but I don't know for sure yet. I'll see what happens. It was an okay party, so far as those go, although I didn't say too long. Yesterday, I spent all day finishing up my Anne Frank paper, and now all that's left is some editing and polishing for today. Now I can move on to the three classes I have left. If anyone is going to be interested in reading over a "feminism in sci-fi/fantasy" paper, let me know, because I'll be working on one later in the week. I did grant myself small bouts of reprieve by going out for dinner at Vientiane Palace with friends and Antoine, and later browsing through Borders with Antoine. Linkspam (Random) Someone decided to create their own Sephiroth/Aeris dating scenario using the Cloud Date Scene in Final Fantasy VII. So funny! Probably only if you've played the game, though. Yes, I am an elitist geek. Shakespeare is getting turned into manga. Awesome? It could be awesome. That Romeo and Juliet image looks pretty lame, though. Romeo and Juliet could be so badass - at least Gonzo is doing a good job. Racism I overheard two people talking a few days ago. One, a white male from northern Wisconsin, was pontificating about how the United States was the best country in the world. The people around him were politely listening until one person finally asked him why. He listed a couple over-broad reasons, and ended with, "Here, it doesn't matter what you look like. Everyone is treated the same." A previous listener-only to the conversation, who happened to be a black male, interjected: "Are you serious?" The white male smiled nervously and said yes, at least up here "in the North," if not in Louisiana or Texas, and at that point a nearby conversation that had already started spilled over into theirs, so they just dropped the conversation without resolving anything. I'm often surprised when people assume that racism is something that only occurs in the South of the United States, or confined only to areas in which slavery used to occur. In my experience, a lot of people in Wisconsin (in areas that aren't Milwaukee) believe this - that racism is "over," and never bother to realize that their entire school is full of white people and a sizable percentage of Asian people, but no black people, no Latinos. Being racist is about seeing black people or Latino people walking on the sidewalk and assuming you're in a "bad neighborhood." It's assuming that someone who is Asian can't speak English. Being racist doesn't always happen because a person intends it to, or because a person is full of hatred, or even because people realize that they have misconceptions in their head, but because somehow, society has trained us to be that way, even though we don't need to be. I have a few relatives who are racist in a conscious way, and it disgusts me. It makes me want to shake them and scream at them until they "understand." It's scary when people think that racism is "over," or that it only happens in far-away places that are hundreds of miles away. I really hope that our generation can be the one to start having real compassion and a real understanding of the implications of history on every aspect of the present and how society orders itself and treats its members, and how to build a better future. Current Music: The Pot - Tool Labels: college, racism, social commentary, work scribbled mystickeeper at 11:27 AM 
6 comments 6 Comments:
racism is lame. People who think racism is over are pretty sheltered. I want to read over your fantasy paper. See you tomorrow!
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Eh, I actually want to make a small point: the percentage of black students in UW Madison is actually higher than the percentage of black people in Wisconsin. Not by much, but it is higher. So, honestly, I don't think UW Madison is doing that badly. Wisconsin is just an amazingly whitebread state.
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oo! oo! pick me! I want to read your paper! *dances excitedly* wouldn't mind using it as a basis for a panel at the 'Kon :D :D :D though personally I think you'd be better/more kickass at doing it.
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Thanks Gretchen and Kristen - hopefully at some point there will *be* a paper to read. XD
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Jackie:Ah, when you said something about an "entire school full of white people" I thought you meant Madison.
By Ahhh, yeah. I guess I meant rural/suburban Wisconsin high schools - mine was 95% white, with a countable number of black students, and maybe a percentage of Asian students, most of whom were Hmong.
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