I would like to share with you a post election myspace status update from a member of my ‘friends’ list:
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“[insert name] is Obamas messenger!!!!! ALL WHITE PEOPLE MUST REPORT TO THE COTTON FEILDS TOMORROW MORNING AT 7AM FOR OREINTATION! DONT BE LATE! LOVE, OBAMAM”
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This was from a gal who claims to have known me in middle/high school that I have yet to remember. I feigned confusion and curiosity when asking what her status update was supposed to mean.
The conversation went a little something like this:
—————– Original Message —————–
From: juliafish
Date: Nov 5, 2008
Your status. I’m confused.
What’s it mean?
—————- Original Message —————–
From: [ ]
Date: Nov 6, 2008
just a joke I wanted to show humor with us having a black man for pres. back in da day blacks had to pick cotton now role is reversed.lol all in fun
—————– Original Message —————–
From: juliafish
Date: Nov 5, 2008
You do realize he is a bi-racial man raised with various cultural influences? and also that not only ‘da blacks’ had to pick cotton, but white farmers in the south as well?
how is the role reversed? i am curious.
It doesn’t come off as a joke at all. Not too funny.
—————– Original Message —————–
From: [ ]
Date: Nov 6, 2008
mmmmmm uhhhhhh yeah are you pissed off about my statis??? geezzzz lighten up just a joke I said…
It would have been so easy to quote history, facts and a million and one other reasons why her attempt at humor reeked of ignorance. I decided it would have been a waste of common sense and simply replied:
—————– Original Message —————–
From: juliafish
Date: Nov 5, 2008
Um. No, dear I am not pissed off.
I just said it doesn’t come off as a joke. It reads an ignorant mindset which I would hope you are not. And being that I am not one to automatically assume ignorance or racism in a person I wanted to ask before forming my opinion.
Doesn’t piss me off but you should be more careful how u word your jokes.
Wow. I’m taken back @ your response to my inquiry.
Take care.
Momma says: Think before you speak.
A friend recently told me that with free speech you have to take the good with the bad. I am more astonished that in this day and age there are still people out there with this mindset. Wow.
Quick- give me someone to blame! Her Momma? Absentee Daddy? The Republicans? Democrats? Public School Systems? Cause somewhere, something went wrong.
