Why is race so important?

 The other day at work I was approached by the philosopher. I call him that cause he is very well read in almost all subjects and I always enjoy the deep conversations we have about any and all subjects. I enjoy them cause he always says something that gets me to think about a subject in a different way. So the other day he came up to me and he put his hand on my shoulder (which he does a lot) and he asked me a question.

 "What do you think it will take for things to get better?"

 He was referring to the issue of racism. What would it take for all people to stop making race a factor. Its a deep issue that may seem impossible to answer in the world we live in now (or have always lived in). Shooting by white police officers of Tamir Rice (who had a toy gun), Michael Brown, Walter Scott (who was running away from an officer and shot in the back), and the shootings of nine men and women in a bible study class of all places, have left the black community with justifiable feelings of fear and anger toward white people. There is very much a belief that racial profiling is a taught police procedure as opposed to one or two bad cops taking the law into there own hands. These events have left a racial divide larger then in the U.S.
 So what will it take for us to get better? Its actually a really simple answer. But before I get to what I think the is I think it would help if you got a little information on who I am and why I think of race the way I do. Cause my opinions and how I look at race are shaped by my experiences.
 I am the son of a Chinese mother and an Italian father. When my parents got married both of my grandparents from my Mom and Dad's side were not happy they were getting married. My Italian grandparents told my Dad if he got married to my Mom he would be kicked out of the house he lived in with them. So my Dad moved from Ozone Park, NY to Jersey City, NJ without my Mom. But my grandparents also had a problem with the fact that my Mom wasn't Italian. Cause old school Italian mentally is you never date anyone but an Italian and you definitely don't marry someone who isn't Italian. In the end my grandparents came to accept my Mom. But it illustrates what I feel my parents have always instilled in me which is everyone should be accepted for who and what they are until given a reason otherwise.
 I can remember the first time I encountered racism. I was in elementary school when it happened. A classmate of mine started using an ethnic slur for a Korean person not realizing I am half-Chinese. It was only years later that I came upon the realization that this person was so ignorant that they didn't even know the proper ethnic slur for a half-Chinese person. When I got older and I thought about how silly this person was. It changed how I felt about people who would use race in most forms.
 I felt bad for people like this. They would lose out on so many things stereotyping people. I grew up in a house with two different cultures and I was lucky to experience diversity. And I'm so much better off for it. I pity the person who only wants one type of person around them. I think of it this way. If you're a picky eater and you won't eat certain types of food but never tried any of them. You eliminate all these foods you might like but will never know cause you're not willing to give it a shot.
 Race to me has never been something I've even given much thought to. I've always been open to everyone being themselves. Its reflected in the friends who are diverse in every way. I've always liked having different opinions other then my own and my friends give me that through their diversity. My girlfriend of four years is West Indian and it doesn't surprise me at all she's nothing like me. I've known that I never wanted to be with a person like me. I already have that in myself so why would I date myself?
 But its funny to hear her views on race cause her's are far different from mine. Obviously her skin color and her experiences leads her to a far different view on race. Not that she's  racist at all. But I always use this example to illustrate how she thinks and how I think. We are taking the subway and when we get off she will pull me to the side and say, "I don't like the way that lady was looking at us." I ask her what she's talking about and she tells me that the woman was looking at us oddly because I'm white and she was black. Never mind the woman isn't saying anything to us. She could just be looking straight at the people sitting across from her. But in the end her views on race tend to be a little skeptical, and more apprehensive then mine.
 Which brings me to myself. My thoughts on race have always been the same since I can remember. I have no problem with anyone or anybody of any race or creed. I have always considered myself lucky that I come from parents of an interracial marriage. Cause I've got to enjoy two ethnic backgrounds that were diverse in so many ways. And it made me think no matter what you don't know what's on the inside despite what the outside looks like. I can never understand how people do not accept people before they even say one word to them. Like how do we know anything about a person just looking at them? And no I'm not advocating if someone asks you to get in their car that you get in. But just because someone is black, white, or other doesn't mean they will act like every other black, white, or other person you know. I'll use this example to illustrate what I'm trying to say. A good friend of mine once told that she would only go out with guys who were Italian. After a string of failed dates she finally opened up and tried to go out with a German guy. Low and behold three years later he's the love of her life.
 So its funny how things work out when you give everyone a fair shake. Granted I've been told I am to accepting often times, but we all deserve to be treated equally until you show you don't deserve to be treated as an equal.
 Having said all that I'm a realist. I know equality for all will never happen. Cause no matter who you are, and what race you are we all have one thing in common: stupidity. People will do stupid things when it comes too issues of race. Always have, and always will. I'm convinced if some idiots blew up the Temple on the Mount people  would fight over the dirt left behind. Cause race is an excuse people will use to justify almost any stupid decision.
 But why must people hold onto things? Why are people so prideful? I have no clue. I am by no means at all qualified to write about race. I'm only writing about it from my perspective. I want to live in an idealistic world where everyone can just live life. Lord knows there are enough obstacles in the world that we don't need to impede each other cause of our race. I'm fortunate that I work at a company like Macy's which is as diverse a place to work I have ever known. In here I'm in the minority (white or multiracial) and I have never felt anything but accepted here. People treat each equally and that is the way it should be.
 So to get back to the first paragraph of this monologue the philosopher asked me which was what will it take to make things better. Its actually pretty simple to answer. If my girlfriend can sit next to me on the train and not think about why the woman across the aisle staring at us. Instead of thinking about race she thinks who is the crazy lady staring at me on the train. If she thinks race is an issue it stays an issue. You give power to those who are racist by thinking about it. The only way we move on is ignoring people who think like that. Cause they aren't worth the time it takes to think about them.
 What will it take to move on? It starts with each and every one of us. Its a cliche but its one that has never been more true.

Don't Go Away Mad...Just Go Away

So, I feel my time here at Robot P0rn has come to an end. My posts are rare and my voice is a lot less passionate. Rather than doing something half-hearted and mediocre, it's best to step away gracefully and make room for someone else who has more to say in a much more entertaining fashion.

While I've enjoyed all the words I've put up and the angry bullets I can shoot out through the barrel of my writing, it would be dishonest and a discredit to all 2 of our readers for me to continue when I know it's time to move along.

Not all partnerships are meant to last, and at times a brief hiatus is in order to keep the peace, and sometimes a more permanent separation is more appropriate. Either way, I'm going to be 35 years old shortly, and I'd rather spend the short bursts of energy I have left in the pursuit of adventures still waiting for me in the company of people who appreciate whatever form of crazy I always end up bringing to the table.

In other words, life's too short to live one minute of it tolerating what doesn't make you happy.

Like I look back on all my past lovers; appreciating them for all they have taught me, the sensations they brought out, and the smiles they plastered on my face, I will look back at my brief term on this forum fondly.

Of course I won't stop writing, and I can be found out there with stories that run too long, spelling errors I missed before posting, and raging, crying, laughing, and living in a voice all my own. It just won't be here any longer.

My Governor's Ball Experience Part 3

               DAY 3

            Setlist

1.      Haim

2.      Freddie Gibbs

3.      Griz + Haim

4.      Cold War Kids

5.      Portugal the Man

6.      Foals

7.      Yeasayer

8.      The Lumineers

9.      Grizzly Bear

10.    Kanye West

My Governor's Ball Experience in 3 Parts 2

            DAY 2

          Setlist

1.      Wild Nothing

2.      Icona Pop

3.      Japandroids

4.      Fucked Up

5.      Alt J

6.      Cut Copy

7.      Kings of Leon

8.      Guns ‘n’ Roses

My Governor's Ball Experience In 3 Parts

              If I could use one word to describe my Governor’s Ball experience it would have to be….

Super Star Trek!

                Dear reader,

                                Please do not read this blog if you intend to watch, or bootleg Star Trek: Into Darkness. It contains spoilers a plenty and a lot of mushiness, and plenty of J.J. Abrams love. If none of these things interest you please stop reading right…..now.

                                                                         Sincerely,

                                                                                       The Chef & J

                                                                

Facebook: How I Hate/Hate You (Sorta)

I have a hate/hate relationship with all things Facebook. Well maybe not just hate. I would say 80%/20% hate to love relationship with it. I love how we all have become connected by the triteness of posting photos of every meal we eat, and letting people know

Iron Bland 3

                Usually when I write about a subject I spend two to three hours checking facts, editing, and constructing an intro, a body, and a conclusion for you our dear readers. But this one is an easy hour

A More Satisfying Work Environment

                If you’re like 99.9% of everyone out there chances are you are not satisfied with your current job. Whether it is because you don’t like what you are doing or just because you hate your commute/boss/associates/dress or any number of things associated

Movies I’m (Not) Looking Forward To

                So most people put out a list of movies they cannot wait to see this summer.

                Well I’m not one of those people. I’m strictly anti-establishment, with a side of anarchy mixed in. I’m from the wrong side of the tracks. Bellerose, New York which has virtually no

I’ll see you at Crapplebee’s

So you’ve read our previous blog on the do’s and don’ts of eating out (and if you don’t remember it here’s the link) and now you want to apply the teachings we have passed onto you in a real world scenario. Lucky for you our faithful readers the Chef and I

All The Things You Don’t Want To Know About Me But I’ll Tell You Anyway

Well you might know a little bit about myself and the Chef I brought up to her the idea of sharing a little more information about us, so that you our faithful reader might get to know us better. Not that her or I really hide all that much

I’ll Drink To That

There was a time I never drank any beer. That was around when I was 21 or 22 years old. Never really saw the excitement of it. Most of my friends who drank did it till they passed out or threw up in my car. Thank God for 24 car washes. But also financially not

Friendship In All Its Forms

The relationships that we make in this life are what make life worth living. You can go out and date a bunch of different people in your lifetime but for the most part those people pass in and out of your life. I’m sure there is some statistic out on the internet saying we all date 5.5 people before finding the ‘right’ one. 

But a friendship is something that can outlive any relationship. I

Dating Is Easy For About 30 Seconds

                We all have those horror stories. All are variations on the same story.  Friends saying let’s get together there is someone I would like you to meet. Or you go to a friend’s birthday and you see someone you haven’t seen in awhile. Either way, you go through that awkward feeling out process and then proceed to

13 Dwarves, a Hobbit, and Gandalf: A Totally Expected Journey

So usually when I write a blog I really think things through before putting them down for your consumption. I am a slave to what I explained to Chef is what I have dubbed “the routine”. It is where I do things in a certain order every time no matter what it is. Like when I wake up for work I’m up at 3 am and

My 2012

How can I sum up my year now that I'm at the very last day of it? 

Pretty amazing.




With the Lights Out, It's Less Dangerous

My big ticket item in 2012 was my trip to Seattle. The Pacific Northwest has always been alluring to me, but moreso now that it's

A Moment Of Reflection

It is hard to believe that it have been a whole year of writing here at Robot P0rn. Honestly this endeavor has always been the Chef and I just writing our conversations down for you, our faithful reader to read and be bemused by. Cause really that is how it all started. If you go back to our very first post it told you’re the origin of this blog which was at the Triple Crown Diner in Bellerose, NY over a BLT and some potatoes and eggs. Needless to say I had a blast writing this year. The only thing I had wished is that we could have written more than we did. But the real world is a cruel mistress and it only allowed us to write about

The Year in Muszak

          It was a very good year to me musically. Definitely one of the most fun concert wise for me. Over fifteen concerts I saw a diverse lineup of acts both new and old. Most importantly I had fun doing it most of the time save for Fiona Apple, and Jay-Z (The former because of the crowd and the act itself, and the later due to the people who I went with that is not the Chef herself). Having said that except for the possibility of

Everything is Politics

Everything is Politics

                Honestly I hate what politics does to people. Much like religion it turns ordinary good people into biased, crazed, partial lunatics who cannot be talked to nor reasoned with. This presidential election I feel like has been a more heated, testy election then in any of the previous ones because of the state of the economy. Things are tough on everyone