Wednesday, April 30, 2003

One disadvantage of Blogging from the laptop is Free Cell. The laptop has solitaire and I am easily drawn in to the game player's abyss. I must beware. Tetris is another game I must keep my distance from. I also strive to avoid carrot cake, jelly donuts, carnitas, chorizo con huevo and Fritos with bean dip.

Have you read this one? Are we really meant to be responsible for the history and origin of every word and rhyme? Does getting offended justify being awarded great sums of cash? I can count dozens of times I recognized racist or insensitive remarks that were directed at me or within my airspace. I have taken it on the chin for Native Americans, Mexicans, Spaniards, Chinese and Japanese, but it never occurred to me to get my panties so bunched up that I had to drag someone in to court. So, when a Southwest Airlines flight attendant wants to get everyone seated with a silly rhyme, I would think intelligent, rational people would focus on the intent of the message and not take overwrought offence at what they perceive to be an insult. As children we enny meeny miney moed many tigers by the toe; our generation did not associate the rhyme with it's racist predecessor, and I am willing to bet the flight attendant was not making the association either. The past is full of horrible injustices, and mean sayings, but language evolves and so can our intentions. It seems like these two women are actually doing more to revitalize a mostly forgotten rhyme. Passengers on the plane laughed because Southwest Airlines is good at easing the stress and formality of flying. Now people across the country are laughing because of an extremely frivolous lawsuit.

Of course on the other hand, one should not stand for demeaning stereotypes, or corporate advancement through racist advertising, and slogans.
Actually I am embarrassed and offended! Where is my attorney? Who can I call to "speed" to my defence?! Are you laughing at me?!

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