THE GUY BEHIND THE SEAT

Driving around campus where we work, we see a plethora, nay...a veritable miasma of cultures and races and religions and lifestyle choices. My journeyman is very outspoken about his commentary on what we see on the streets in and around the university, mostly I think, because he's a smartass and pretty funny and secondarily, he's a redneck. Until recently I was the silent occasionally laughing, keeping my opinion to myself kind of guy. And the racier comments would always be answered with a "shush! How did that guy get back there"?!comment to the nether regions behind the seat where the evil comments guy resides when he's not safely hidden away in his super ego keeping his comments to himself. Lately, I have been more vocal about my offhand observations (rather than keeping my opinions to myself and close company, as a career of being "non judgemental" taught me to do). We make our comments, laugh and when it gets up there to "flittin' around the brink"(tm) territory, it's that imaginary guy behind the seat that gets the reprimand.
So, whats my point? We are all prejudiced, all off us. No matter how hard we try not to be we are. It's been instilled into us by our parents and their parents instilled it into them, and you can roll back as many generations as you want. Prejudice is in the ground water, forever. Anyone who claims otherwise is a liar or seriously fucking deluded, or filthy stinking rich, there by protected fromanything remotely resembling the real world ( a clearly predjudicial statement disparaging that bitch Paris hilton and her ilk...(See? It's everywhere!)
But there's a huge difference between an offhand comment about terrorists, "look...It's a terrorist...I bet she's got a bomb in that backpack" directed at a student wearing a muslim head dress from the privacy of your work vehicle and those nazi assholes that dragged James Byrd to his death in Jasper Tx. a few years back.
Now that's some in your face no denying it hardcore racism. And as a sidebar: That they tried to erase the significance of all those swastikas tattooed on their bodies as a way to align with gangs in prison and avoid the ass rape at their trial just added insult to injury. Those racist bastards killed a helpless man for sport, in a most horrible way and when they got caught, they tried to play this sympathy card. I bet the defense attorney was a jew, conniving bastards (just kidding! But see what I mean?). Fortunately, clearer heads prevailed and they got the max. And I say good. There's no excuse for outward racism and hate like this, and it must be met with an iron hand.
But back to the prejudice end of this post.
While racism is about hate and ignorance and fear, prejudice is about labelling. All of us look at others and make assumptions about character, about worth, about beliefs. Snarky comments may be a way to deal with the discomfort of experiencing differences in culture and choice. But when does it amount to racism?
Recent events here in Austin involving the burning down of a club in east Austin (for those not in the know, that would be the "dark" side of town, if you get my drift...see? There I go again! ) and the local gestapo police sending the equivalent of pig IM's of "burn baby burn!" over the computers in the patrol cars. The black community somehow got a hold of this information and there was an uproar. References were made to the watts riots origin of this statement and in short order 10 to 15 officers were disciplined, ranging from written reprimands to suspensions without pay, and they all have to take "cultural sensitivity" training. Whoa! That'll erase years of conditioning won't it?
The reality is, in my opinion, east Austin was thrown a bone in response to ongoing problems with the pigs and activity in east Austin that have sadly resulted in the deaths of some residents ( read: black folk ). I heard a black woman on the radio today say that she thought the pigs shouldn't have been punished for the seemingly racist statements because of the continual disturbance calls to that bar and it was just a result of frustration of years of dealing with a bar that attracted the wrong crowd, and it was burnt to the ground. That means end of problem...hence the relief statement "burn baby burn". This was a comment that made too much sense in these times. Sometimes, enough is enough, regardless of what you happen to be. And when you get down to it, we are just one thing...people, all shapes and sizes and colors, but people. And I think it's high time we got over ourselves.
I'm all over the map here, but I hope you get my point.
Me? I just hate assholes...regardless of color, but I know some good jokes.(Shush!! Will somebody shut that guy up?!)