Wordless Wednesday

So You Think Racism Only Happens to Black People

 One of the common themes that comes up several of the adoption forums I am on is this idea that we (adoptive parents with Asian children) somehow don't need to be racially aware or competent.  There are some who believe that their children are "white enough" (although they won't phrase it that way) to never experience racism.  

But then things like this happen....  

(since apparently Asian lady is too hard to spell?)

If I was Papa Johns I wouldn't stop with firing the employee, I would fire the assistant manager and the manger as well because as inappropriate as this is- and as easy as it would be to write off the clerk as an ignorant teenager (which apparently it was) the story actually gets worse.
Don't get me wrong- it was bad- very, very bad already. 
However- it turns out that wasn't the really racist part of the story.

The real racist part were the reactions of both the manager and assistant manager who truly don't seem to understand not only what the actual issue is but also justify it as an acceptable way to identify a customer.

An assistant manager at the store told us that the teen meant no harm with the slur she used to identify Cho: "We're all of different races here in this store. So she didn't mean any harm, didn't mean to stereotype against her, to discriminate against her, but that's how she took it." 

Really-go figure that she took it to be offensive.  Might that be because it was offensive? 

I just hate when people get offended after I use offensive terms to refer to them.

Then Jerome (the manager) somehow actually manages to make it worse- proving the adage sometimes you should keep your fool mouth shut.

Jerome agreed with her [the asst. manager] saying employees use slang to identify customers: “It’s a busy place, and it was a way to identify her and her order. You know, we do stuff like that sometimes. We’ll write ‘the lady with the blue eyes’ or ‘the guy in the green shirt.’ ”

"We do stuff like that sometimes"

 Makes you wonder what slang they are using to describe their Black customers...

If it was December then it must have been....

Belt test time again in Kung Fu (and luckily this was pre- broken toe)  D tested for junior Blue, X tested for junior Brown 2nd degree and A tested for junior Brown 1st degree- which means he should be testing for black in June.

I will try to get the video posted soon too- cause honestly D is pretty cute tough- 
really really tough.....

Weekend Wisdom

'He who neither values his teacher nor loves the lesson is one gone far astray though he be learned."

-Tao Te Ching 27

Wordless Wednesday

2011 The Year in Review

January

February

March

 

April

May

 

June

July

August

September

 October

November

December

Happy New Year

Happy 2012 Everybody!

Let's hope it is better than 2011-

with plenty of peace, love and understanding

(and unlike the Mayans predict, actually 366 days long)