Recovering Racist

I stopped by Bubbie’s whom had gone out the night before to a comedy club. He proceeded to tell me about the evening of frivolity until a comic came on that was, well, I guess you would say of black African ancestry. Bubbie described how he referred to all the men in the audience as niggas and the women, bitches. I didn’t take long for a disgusted Bubbie and Sweet Pea to walk out, though many if not most of the people there were guffawing and rocking in their seats elbowing each other in the slats with laughter.

Later, at an all night diner, Bubbie recognized a couple of young men that he had seen at the comedy club and they were laughing at the jokes they had heard, and generally having a good time. This wouldn’t have been unusual except that they were black and a lot of what they were saying was “whitey” this and “cracker” that. Now Bubbie admits to being as racist, or not as racist, as the next guy. He holds no ill will towards any group of people and truly tries to not be offensive, as much as any good person, but he admits to sometimes making an off colored remark in a fit of frustration. The thing that bothers him so is that if a non-black person uses the word nigger, they might better be strung up by their private parts than face the deluge of criticism and condemnation that accompanies it. But this is a free country and the first amendment to the United States Constitution applies to all citizens. Freedom of speech is the concept of the inherent human right to voice one's opinion publicly without fear of censorship or punishment. Well, a reasonable person knows that using offensive language carries with it a consequence that one must chose to bear if one chooses to use it. But don’t tell Bubbie that one of black African ancestry can say some form of nigger, and he can’t. It’s un-American.

As Bubbie says, we’re all racists. If we’re good people we try not to be; but lighten up and get over yourself. Bubbie wasn’t all that offended by the young men’s remarks in the diner because he is wise enough to know we are all different and to each their own. His choice was to ignore it and enjoy the company of his Sweet Pea. After all, in the morning the news was going to report on more troops killed in Iraq and that’s something to get upset about.