interesting (maybe not) conversation

My niece, Zana, is attending the inauguration. She was invited to attend before the candidates started stumping and now she gets to be part of something that I am sure she will remember for the rest of her life. Her keynote speakers are Collin Powell and Al Gore. Pretty freakin' amazing. Am pretty sure I didn't do anything this awesome when I was 13 (though state Latin competition ranks up there).

The inauguration precipitated a conversation today with a coworker - (I don’t know why people insist on speaking with me when I've my headphones on. ITS A SIGN PEOPLE!!! I don't want to speak with you.) She asked me if I was very excited about the whole thing (inauguration). I responded by saying that am a little removed from the whole situation and excitement since I was not there. Then she said something along the lines its about time considering how racist the country is and how badly it had treated its black population.

I get comments like this all the time. I also hate the concept that he was elected because it’s time, as if it's some sort of vindication for past wrongs. It denigrates the whole process and assumes that his primary qualification is the color of his skin. I personally hate to be seen as a one dimensional person and as if any one of my characteristics is the sum of who/what I am.

The other thing that annoys me about all of this is that it often comes from people completely blind to the racism imbedded in their societies. Also, dude when was the last time you lived in the US let alone were a black person in the US to judge. I stated that racism is something that can be found in every country and not just in the US against blacks. I mentioned that I've experienced it here in Romania. She counters with I like you and I would hug you and blah blah blah. I mention that the Turkish students and other kids have told me what they encounter in the streets. She counters with it's what they do not because they are darker and/or look foreign. I say what about the Gypsy population. She counters with they are really bad people and pretty much commit all the crime in Romania though she doesn't want them all dead. Trying to end this conversation so I can go do my grocery shopping, I say maybe as an outsider, I may not understand all the nuance of the Gypsy situation. She says that that's true.

But, alas, she is able to discuss racism in the US though there is NO racism in Romania (except against those who deserve it of course)