Am I a racist? No. I will not try to defend or justify myself, my posts or my sense of humour. I do however, as I am sure every other honest person out there does, find humour in the world around me. When someone slips and falls on the ice… I laugh. When my children make fun of my poor French and my dreadful accent (like the time I told them in French to ‘Sit IN your bottoms, RIGHT NOW!)… I laugh. I laugh when I see comedians impersonate old ladies with zimmer frames. I laughed when my older sister stepped in dog poo and tracked it all over my little sister’s house. I laugh at Polish jokes (and Irish jokes) and I laugh even harder when Irish people tell Irish jokes about themselves. I laughed when my ‘black’ friend told me his lastest ‘honky’ jokes and he laughed when I threw a few *gasp* ‘nigger’ jokes back at him. I laugh at stereotypical German, French, Scot, American and (heck, why not) the Texans. I laughed when my eight year old daughter begged me to stop running when we were late for school one day… was it because she thought I was too old or to fat? I’m not sure, but it made me laugh- at ME! I find it amusing that men of my husband’s age have hair that they have to pluck from their noses. And I will be the first to poke fun at my not so adorable dimply thighs. I find an Asian accent amusing, but no more amusing than a Welsh or Scandinavian one.
My children are currently attending a school in Brussels that proudly caters to families of no less than 22 different nationalities. We chose the school (a local non-private school) for its cosmopolitan atmosphere and for the exposure our childen would have to the wonderful diversity our world has to offer. I have lived in 3 countries and have had the privilege of visiting 17 countries and in twelve of those countries I stayed in homes of the ‘natives’.
I love the world I live in and the people that populate it. I love the diversity in cultures, the differnces in colour and the tastes of the different foods. I find deep and profound pleasure in the fact that my blonde hair-blue eyed children choose an African or Asian baby-doll when we go shopping because it most resembles one of their much-loved, particular friends at school.
I do not apologise for finding humour in the world around me, I do not apologise for lightheartedly poking fun at the differences I see around me, but I do apologise if my ability to enjoy our differences has hurt anyone. My heart couldn’t be further from ever purposefully slighting someone else or willfully causing pain.
If you still think I am a heartless racist… maybe you should contact me. I most likely won’t debate with you in any length or with great skill, but I would hopefully be able to let you know more of where I am coming from.
Now on a lighter note…
Via Busy Mom - I hope this doesn’t offened any babies out there… I mean, some of my best friends are babies I have given birth to four of them. I am still allowed to find humour in things aren’t I?
