I watched President Obama speak today from a small pub in a hotel in Pittsburgh. I was – as per usual – the lone liberal in a sea of conservatives, so there I sat, alone, breathing in the exquisite moment. Tears pricked my eyes as I listened to our pragmatic new Commander-in-Chief speak firmly about inclusion and equality, proclaiming that all nations are our friends. And Muslims? You are also our friends, and we will all learn to coincide in peace!
If you saw it, regardless of your politics, I don’t think you can deny the purity and grace of our new President’s message. My heart still soars for me, for you, and for all our future babies.
Of course, at the airport bar just now, a middle-aged Steeler fan remarked that he does not, in fact, gamble, at least not since “those damn Oriental women started dealin’ at all the tables.” They cheat, you know."
Yes, indeed, Mr. Obama, we have a ways to go. But we will succeed. Yes we can.
9 comments:
Oh what a sad comment from an obviously sad little man. I cringe when I hear things like that, and believe me- here in Redneck Texas I hear a lot.
That title is misleading...based on your quote from your conversation, you are putting words in his mouth. This is a common problem in writing, and I don't pretend to know the details of what was said, so I can only go off your quoted recollection. Either way, given what was said, as a reader, it could be interpreted that "dealers cheat, you know." I am sure you are conveying it as it happened, but like I said, the quotes and the title don't necessarily jive and can be taken a few different ways.
That being said, foreign casinos typically do have a bad reputation of changing rules on the fly, when dealing with American players. It is feasible that dealers of different nationalities can take some of their habits from their prior employers and use them at their current jobs. Whether they be, black, white, green, or blue, dealers have been known to cheat, you know?
Anonymous - are you the middle-aged Steeler fan I spoke of? Regardless, I did not mislead with the title - those words actually came out of my man's mouth; I didn't include the quote in the body of the post as I thought that would be redundant. And, for the record, Asians and/or Asian-Americans? Not "Orientals". And furthermore, we don't condone any stereotypical blanket statements about races here at QITNM. Steeler man didn't say DEALERS, he said "ORIENTALS". He was also referring to domestic casinos, as he was yelling across the bar to a couple heading to Vegas.
And: word, Brighton.
That is all.
I was referring to domestic Casinos also, and all I said is that your title is misleading, based on your quote from your conversation.
Your reply to my post further supports the point that I made. Apparently, the exchange went nothing like what you wrote in your blog. The comments were not made you to and you paraphrased what was said altogether in a conversation that you only overheard.
My post had more to do with the inaccuracy of the media and the written word in general, racism only exists because people allow it to, and that is regardless of race, hence there is no such thing as reverse racism. There are only Americans in this country, if you are a citizen, you are an American, our society needs to get over the hyphen-American, you are either with us or you are not, period.
But before I digress any further I want to get back to my point and hone it in for you, the pen is mightier than the sword, and when the pen is used in a misleading manner, Oprah calls you out on national TV.
see: Frey, James
And: Brighton...practice what you preach..."Redneck Texas"...
That is all.
Now you've got me thinking...
I fail to see how the conversation was nothing like I described... A couple said they were heading to Vegas, and the man shouted across the bar what I described in the post. Where did I lose you?
I am a white woman, and I believe that racism does still exist in this country. It's more surreptitious, absolutely, and thankfully on the wane, but to insinuate that it is completely eradicated is short-sighted. Can I give you a shameful, shameful example? My own beloved grandfather, after receiving my Christmas card this year - which just happened to include Flavor Flav, another story - remarked angrily, "who the hell is that n#gger with M & J?" You can imagine how I felt about that comment. Even though I'm sure Granddad doesn't know FF, it's unacceptable nonetheless.
There is malice in this country, and I think the best we can do is put it out on the table and discuss, rather than dismiss it as a creation (or a perpetuation) of the popular media.
And "with us, or not"? America is fairly new globally, and a land of immigrants... my own father one of them. Can't people celebrate their own heritage while participating in a larger, culturally-rich democracy? Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Anon. Look into it.
Ugh.
I fell victim to my own advice. I should have said racism exists, but only because people continue to allow it to exist. People need to get over themselves, none of us were slaves and non of us were slave owners. Those people are dead and thankfully (slave owners) buried. This is why I did not want to get in to this discussion, but I understand that I opened Pandora's Box on this one. I will now close it, racism exists, I don't want it to exist. Hopefully very soon, more people will share my and your viewpoint.
Without belaboring the point on your original story...because you left out certain facts regarding who the conversation was directed at and you used closed quotes on what you wrote as quotes, it was assumed that your description of the event were all the facts in their entirety. The media does this all the time and it creates for a misleading interpretation of what actually happened. Hence the need for more first hand accounting of events when formulating an individual opinion on anything. Therefore, my point will continue to stand, because you did not vividly account what happened, your story can be interpreted as misleading. Perhaps, I should say that you recited your story to more strongly support your title. There is always more to a story, you used what you needed to make your point, admirable as your point may be, it is still up for the reader to form their own opinion based on the same facts that you formed yours from, not an edited version of what actually happened. That is all I am going to say about it, I agree with you, you are right, the old man at the bar is a bad man, done and done. Just state the facts as they happened and then state your opinion, people can then agree or disagree with you.
All of our fathers are immigrants, and newsflash, our mothers too. The last pure blood Indian left a time ago, so let's be proud to be Americans. Regardless of where we came from, we all came here, let's be proud of it and support it and if we think it is better elsewhere, let's move there and join there team. So yes, you are either with us or you are against us, I believe that is a paraphrased Obama quote, yes, the great Obama. He surely did not say it first, but in terms of America, it rings true. National pride means supporting America and our national language is American and we are a collection of immigrants who came to this melting pot to become Americans and build a better home, while escaping the persecution of all the places that come before the hyphen.
Look into it? I have looked into it, many times, in many different situations, with many different people, in many different places, and at many different times. I won't judge you, like you have me, that is a big part of the problem in this country. But I will assure you, I am an American, I am proud of it and while I know where I came from and in most cases am proud of that, I am here and damn proud to be here, in America.
Until this country stops trying to put the proverbial asterisk in front of who we all are and is proud to be just an American and all that title entails, I will continue to have to look in to it, as will we all.
It wasn't my intent to judge you; just to further my point. I, too, am fiercely proud to be an American (albeit slightly less proud when people shout about "Orientals" in Pitt), but I think we differ on what that means exactly. Yet in the immortal words of Ron Burgundy: agree to disagree?
As always, I appreciate the candor and your opinion-sharing. It is most encouraged.
Oh, and, by the way, my husband agrees with you, Anon, so I just gave him the business too.
That, my friend, is why women are the more nurturing sex. Despite what anyone may say, I feel women care more and are more open to caring, arms wide open and mind wife open, if you will. The male point of view is typically more black versus white and does not allow us to care about much more than is close to us. We keep it in the family and close to the cuff, the simpler the better, if you will.
Either way, all in good fun, tell your husband to go sit on the couch with his hand in his pants, he has earned it. Don't be scared to join him, you might enjoy the relaxation.
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