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Posted on 05/27/2015 2:11:24 PM PDT by RandallFlagg
I’m a guy who talks to everyone. Ask my wife. A trip to the grocery store for milk can turn into a thirty minute conversation with the bag-boy. Most of the people who work with me on this site (Brodigan, Krystal, Jared, Caleb and ‘FunDip’ Dan) are just people with whom I’ve had a good conversation at one point or another. Never once did I ask for a resume.
They dread my phone-calls because I always go long. I’m that guy.
I’ve always loved talking with people. But in the last few years, something’s changed dramatically. Political correctness has become a cancerous growth on the absolute gift that is human interaction.
I can no longer make a silly face at a child in the movie line without his mother clutching him for fear of “stranger danger.” I can’t compliment a woman on her smile without being guilty of perpetuating “rape culture.” Some of the most common words in my everyday vernacular like “amigo” and “brother” must now be exclusively and fearfully reserved for strictly non-ethnic demographics. Instead of becoming better neighbors, we spend our time ensuring avoidance of the latest “racist code-word” or the possibility of cultural insensitivity.
It’s a terrible feeling, it’s dividing America more than ever before and it is absolutely ruining America’s neighborhoods. Allow me me tell you a story.
Last week, I was walking to my corner drugstore. As I emerged into my neighborhood, I noticed a man dressed to the nines. Clean-close-shave, suit and tie, the whole shebang. He was tying up his bicycle. Without even thinking, I blurted:
“Man, all decked out for an evening bike ride. I dig it! You make me look like an absolute bum.”
Shocked, he responded.
“Aw come on man, you ain’t gotta do me like that.”
Oh, this is about the time I should mention the fact that he was a black man. I know, I know. I didn’t think it was relevant either. Until he said that to me, that is. Then I noticed his general perturbedness. Now, I know that many white Americans can find themselves out of touch with black culture. And yes, I’m white. But I’m also a hip-hop fan. Three out of my top ten favorite albums of all time were created by talented black men. So while I may not be fluent, the lingo isn’t completely lost on me.
And as a general rule, “do me like that” usually implies some kind of wrong-doing. I found myself confused. So I tried to smoothe it over.
“No man, I just mean you look great. I should step my game up or you’ll make us all look bad.” I said with a smile. He seemed even more frustrated.
“Come on man.”
I honestly didn’t know what to say. Clearly, I’m an insensitive ass. So I wished him well and went on with my evening. But it ate away at me for days after that. I couldn’t believe that we live in a country where the joy of being neighborly has been replaced with the sinking feeling in our stomachs of collective guilt. I couldn’t believe that man’s worldview had been so warped by today’s politically correct climate, that he would take offense to a genuine compliment. Is this really what America’s become?
See, this is the goal of the left. Divide and conquer. It’s why they espouse multiculturalism instead of the American melting pot. The left wants a post-tower-of-babel America, where every person can be separated into their own pigeon-holed, pander-succeptible portion of the American voting base. Because if we all stand as Americans unified, they’d never win another election.
I just couldn’t believe that this many people had bought it. My heart literally hurt. I wept for the neighborhood of a bygone era, perhaps never to be seen again.
Then it happened. I was walking my dog (an all-white Dogo Argentino, mind you). The weather had turned warm, so Hopper was exhausted and dragging his feet home, trailing a good few steps behind me. A van slowed as it drove by and the window rolled down. A black lady, smile beaming, poked her head out. NobleHopper
“That dog ain’t havin’ none of it from you today!” she said, commenting on Hopper’s slothfulness.
“Most people don’t either!” I laughed. She laughed back.
“He’s got that beautiful white coat.” she said.
“Thanks! See, an all white-dog, bridging the racial divide, who’d have thought.” I responded.
She cocked her head back and laughed.
“Haha I like that! Have a great day, sir.”
My heart warmed. Maybe there’s hope for American neighborhoods yet.
Dogo Argentino...impressive animal that. I saw one up close once. They’re gorgeous and friendly dogs. If I had more house I’d have one.
L
Crowder is correct. It is no longer a friendly neighborly thing to strike up a casual conversation with strangers. It can be dangerous.
I know only one person who can do it. My nephew. He is like Will Rogers who never met a stanger he didn’t like. But for the most part - don’t talk to me and I won’t talk to you.
The Black dude on the bike may have been on a bike in his ‘Sunday best’ because he couldn’t afford a car and he felt self conscious about it.
Excellent writing, excellent description of what the country has become.
The author is lucky he wasn’t assaulted by the bicycle rider. Such conversations can turn deadly. And his bringing up race in the conversation with the lady in the van is just suicidal. He’s right, America has changed and it is a far more dangerous place. My suburban grocery store has started posting uniformed, armed guards. I haven’t seen any reason why, but the management has and the clintele has become much more diverse, lately.
Hopper is the most awesome of dogs. Truly.
Or maybe he got a DUI and had his license pulled ... see I can speculate too.
I don’t know where Crowder lives but everyone around us is talking CWII. I’m talking about the wine aisle at Kroger. Its everywhere. :-)
“Aw come on man, you ain’t gotta do me like that.”
At least he didn’t call him articulate!
“Hey man, its a free country..!”
Ever notice how people don’t say that anymore?
Dogo Argentino, a truly terrifying dog if you unexpectedly happen upon one.
As a former meter reader we were warned constantly about these dogs. We watched videos on them. A meter reader that was mauled by one was brought in to tell his story. Yikes. He had contact with the dog for a year before he became complacent and turned his back on the dog. One time was all it took The dog did not bark, it took his ass down and mauled the S out of him. I never came across one but the guys who did told me that pit bulls had nothing on the dogo
Yes, 'they' have also turned me into that person.
I get accused of being 'aloof and distant' (Well I am) Used to work in the field and when coming into the office would 'chat up the ladies' if one changed her hair I would comment, etc.... Went in one day and the Owner said one of the 'girls' was complaining about me causing a 'hostile work place' ... he normally didn't talk like that and the hostile work place phrase was basically foreign at that time..
Couple months later the Owner said the 'girls' were telling him I ran around looking mad all the time and wouldn't speak to them. (I never bothered to ask who 'turned me in').
If I brush up against a pole or brush and get paint on my shirt etc I DON'T touch it the second time to see if that was the source.
Yes, 'they' have also turned me into that person.
I get accused of being 'aloof and distant' (Well I am) Used to work in the field and when coming into the office would 'chat up the ladies' if one changed her hair I would comment, etc.... Went in one day and the Owner said one of the 'girls' was complaining about me causing a 'hostile work place' ... he normally didn't talk like that and the hostile work place phrase was basically foreign at that time..
Couple months later the Owner said the 'girls' were telling him I ran around looking mad all the time and wouldn't speak to them. (I never bothered to ask who 'turned me in').
If I brush up against a pole or brush and get paint on my shirt etc I DON'T touch it the second time to see if that was the source.
I have to admit. I always get nervous when I’m ordering food from a black person at a restaurant and they ask me a question like “chocolate or white?” or “dark meat or white meat?”
I’m thinking “Crap!!! How am I supposed to respond to avoid offense?”
I watched a 2008 TED talk on liberals versus conservatives on various moral measures.
Diversity is a challenge to in group loyalty, something conservatives value but liberals want to attack because they see it as unimportant to morality. Likewise, they challenge sexual purity rules because they want the freedom and want to undo those rules for their own personal pleasure.
IMO, the difference between “diversity” and undermining sexual mores is that most sexual immoral acts are in private with only indirect acts to others. Interjecting new people independent of the local culture and social ties adds curiosity and complexity liberals too lazy to travel abroad like, but they ignore the costs: ESL classes, refugee programs, higher crime because of weaker social ties, balkanization into new enclaves of new immigrant groups, lower native worker pay because of low skill immigrants competing for work.
In short, the “diversity” is just like the moral dimensions of obedience to authority and sexual purity, but with far greater and more negative social repercussions.
Ever seen a Schipperke?
Think: a 100 pound dog’s mentality in a nine pound dog.
Cute as a button, but will charge and jump ya if you’re not paying attention.
I’d read that captains of old ships used them to hunt down rats onboard.
I probably should have mentioned for everyone replying to this thread to address the commentary to Steven Crowder. But, I had to post and run so I could get to work.
Better a Dogo Argentino than a Dogo Roado- my name for the mongrel dogs in Tonga that overrun and roam the roads.
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