***Just my thoughts… and I am sure you will agree or disagree… that’s fine.  I am not here to argue – just stating an opinion.  It is fine to agree to disagree.***

Friday night I watched a movie I should have seen years ago, thanks to Netflix, I have been trying to catch up.  I am not sure why it has taken me so long to watch this movie… I have a burning love for Edward Norton, but I believe the skin head and swastika probably turned me off.  Hate is probably on the top of my list of things “not” to buy into, and this movie just screamed it… or so I thought…

I won’t lie, watching American History X, my stomach turned.  This is an excellent movie, not because I have the same beliefs in racism and hate, but it shows how much we are a product of our environment.  How vulnerable we are in our teen years, and how easily we are molded. It’s not all about racism, either.  This movie also touches on immigration and affirmative action.  The characters are extremely intelligent and argue their beliefs quite convincingly.

This movie also shows how hate is passed down - learned, from father to son, from older brother to younger.  Edward Norton’s character is a role model for his younger brother, played by Ed Furlong, who is sure to follow in his brother’s footsteps. Although the father is not as extreme, racism is racism.  Hate is all lumped into one broad word, and whether you like it or not, a little or a lot, it’s still hate. 

There is one thing that burns in my mind from this movie; the quote: “Has anything you’ve done made YOUR life better?”

Think about it.

Why do we spend so much time thinking about the past?  Why does it matter what happened to your or my people 100s of years ago?  Why can’t we just live now?  Let’s stop focusing on what happened, and start redirecting our attention to what’s happening — Work together to take care of other issues that really need our attention.  Redirect that hate into something productive… to make our “Now” better… for us and our families for years to come.

Another issue that comes to mind, that screams hate, and most of you are guilty of thinking it - immigration.  Every night on the news they talk about it here in Arizona.  Every day I hear people complaining about immigrants coming thru our borders… I know at one time… your families were immigrants too.  They may have not spoken the native language, but thy came here to try to better their family… they came here so YOU would have opportunities that they didn’t have.  I understand that you’re tired of people coming over illegally, that this somehow affects your opportunities.  Well get motivated, educate yourself, take advantage of the opportunities that are given you, and quit complaining about what this or that person has.  What good is it if you sit there complaining about something being taken away from you… if you actually had no interest in attaining it to begin with…  to complain for the sake of complaining.

I can’t solve the world problems… I can’t make you change your mind if you are dead set of hating someone or something.  But until you have been in that situation yourself… until you know the circumstances involved… until it’s you that is on the table being prosecuted for trying to better your family - you will never understand.

Let me suggest to you Double Es…  Education and Empathy.  You may be intelligent, and you may think you know everything there is to know about a subject such as immigration, but do you know the individuals involved?  Do you know why they risked everything to come here?  Do you know their family members… their moms, dads, children?  Do you know the circumstances surrounding the risks?  Empathy is basically placing yourself in the shoes of the other person and trying to understand what it is like to be that person… how it would feel if that was my family.  What would I be willing to do for my family?

OH

movie.

Back to movies… there is another excellent movie out there with such subtleties you might not even realize it’s about hate… Pleasantville.  I adore this movie - it is so full of symbolism it gives me goose bumps. I know it sounds ridiculous - a movie where the characters get sucked into an old black and white TV show, but this movie is incredible.  The characters go through so many changes, which most of the town fear, and they get color… which leads to segregation.  The experience things they have never felt before… they learn things they are surprised even existed, and they love.  Being prosecuted by the townspeople for being different… sound familiar?  All but the two main characters, started out in black and white but most eventually evolve into color.

Pleasantville shows that we are all human and we all experience things on different levels… we have emotions and are capable of love as well as hate, but it’s up to the individual as to how he or she interprets them.

Bottom line is that we should try to forget the things done to us in the past that make us hold a grudge against a person or a whole race of people.  More than likely these original people involved aren’t even in the picture anymore… why should we carry a burden that isn’t ours?  Why can’t we start fresh today and work together towards a common goal… even if that goal is just to make our lives better for years to come… to live free of hate and focus on our own families instead of bitching about everyone else.

Just my thoughts… and I am sure you will agree or disagree… that’s fine.  I am not here to argue – just stating an opinion.  It is fine to agree to disagree.

~2

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Isn’t it strange how a community of people can somehow become the stereotype for a whole state of people… 

When I lived in Oklahoma, I totally hated watching the news.  They always picked the worst case to interview… it was always the toothless hillbilly who made no sense what so ever.. trying to explain that his house, which was of course a trailer protected by a layer of tires strategically placed on the roof… just blew away, and it was “like nuttin’ I’d never seen b’fore!”

I just rolled my eyes and shook my head

Now in Arizona, a whole new breed of people are causing me a bit of mental anguish.  I hate to even mention it, but something is just wrong here.  I am not a person to make fun of anyone with a disability, but if I have to question that there is even a disability to begin with… stupid people are fair game.

First… I live on the 3rd floor in an apartment complex.  Across the hall of the THIRD floor is an older couple… ahem the THIRD floor.  Our apartment doors face the courtyard, for us to go to the lot… we must first exit out of our apartment doors… walk down a somewhat long cooridor and then decend down the stairs to go happily on her little motorcade way.  My neighbor, who lives across the way, that walks down the same flight of stairs I do, has a handicap parking place reserved for him. 

I understand that if he has a disability… I have no problem with him having a reserved spot… and actually I park out front, so I could care less that he has one altogether.  What bothers me is that he walks down the stairs to get to his car.  Why is he on the THIRD floor to begin with?  Why not the first level?

I shake my head at that

Here is where the community that defines the whole state come into play…

I picked my son up from school last Friday early, since they were having parent treacher conferences (my son is brilliant.. just saying) and decided to grab a bite to eat, since the baby and I hadn’t had lunch yet.  He decided we should go to Jack in the Box - since he had never been there.  While sitting there waiting for the baby to finish throwing her food in the floor, a Phoenix fave pulled into the lot - a fucking MONSTER truck.  I have yet to see what the deal with these are, but everyone has them here.  I noticed that they had pulled into a handicap spot, and I was starting to get pissed… I don’t care if someone jumps out and you are just standing there… that place is reserved for a reason.

So.. as we are walking past the truck I noticed the plate… and it was handicapped.  WHAT THE FUCK?!!  That thing required a ladder to get into.  I am not even going into how much I SHAKE MY HEAD AT THIS!!

What is wrong with Arizona?  I am always one of the first people to help a person in need… I would go out of my way to help someone with a disability, but this is ridiculous. 

What do you shake your head at?
~2

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Driving home today, I couldn’t help but think about all the things going on around me.  I have been a bit discouraged by the new job, and of course, sleep deprived, so while taking a moment to breathe I decided to take a break from the cd of choice at the present time…. King for a Day Fool for a Lifetime (Faith No More).. I slipped in something different… something I hadn’t listened to in ages, and I was pleasantly surprised on how much I had forgotten. 

okokok it was the Bloodhound Gang’s Hooray for Boobies… yeah yeah don’t give me shit - it cracks me up.

Have you ever been listening to something… of course loud… and noticed how it seems life outside the vehicle is somehow in tune with the music?  The shaking leaves on the passing palms, the bouncing vehicles… the peds crossing the street mouthing the words. Even each breath I took seemed to somehow fit, and that maybe I cracked some sort of secret code… there has been something going on all along behind the scenes, and I am just now beginning to understand it.

I drive on and there is a girl dressed like the statue of liberty, waving at me, smiling at me.  It’s a tax service.  Would someone standing on the side of the road waving at you really sway your decision on who you let process your taxes?  I have always wondered why do that… and how much does it pay, because on this same stretch of road, less than a mile long, I have seen the statue of liberty, a guy waving a flag, and a few others… and it’s a busy street.. they drive like 40 mph and I can’t see someone slamming on their breaks.. crap… I need to have THEM do my taxes… RIGHT NOW.  Just something I think about. I drive down the same street everyday to pick my daughter up from the sitter.

I pick up pretty girl, and drive back down the same road… palm reader…. 5 bucks.  I would so love to stop, but I know Brynn wouldn’t let me… so I drive on with music — giggling “they said vagina”… hehe

Stop at the light, and in front of me is a vehicle… I can’t remember what kind, but I remember the sticker and it totally brings a smile to my face:

I brake for saucy wenches!

Suddenly I am wishing I was a saucy wench… I am not 100% sure as to what that’s talking about, but it just rolls off the tongue.  Oh to be a saucy wench!

It’s amazing how many things stand out on this drive, and it makes me wonder what I am missing.  Am I suppose to be seeing something, but I keep overlooking it.  Like some sign from a higher power.   I am not religious by any means, but I like to think I do have a purpose here.  I so wish to know what it is.  Maybe I should get my palm read… maybe I should get my taxes done, or maybe I can get some lessons and become that saucy wench I so long to be.

~2

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