Does my blog even match its own descriptions anymore? I mean we talk about politically charged topics but I feel like most of what I've said is social commentary and not so much politics. But I mean at the end of the day they influence each other.
I had a thought for a blog post today but I don't know if you guys will like it?
When applications come through I'm always conflicted; my boss doesn't want me to be too picky about things like spelling and grammar. So, for example, looking through resumes today I cringed at a person who put
RESEPTIONIST
as their last job title. See in my boss's mind, that would be something that's too picky. But in my mind, that's just the least a person could do is spell correctly.
I mean I understand that these are kids and they won't always have spotless presentation and her priority is that they can smile and talk to customers. But it rubs me the wrong way.
So later this afternoon when I was headed back to the train station I was sitting behind this mom and her daughter who were black. The daughter was the cutest thing I've ever seen, maybe like 3 or 4 years old, amazingly cute and she was singing, and laughing, and she was a happy kid. I was really happy for her. Her mother was being attentive to her as well, and watching her and interacting with her, which I love to see because I see too many little kids whose parents seem to just be along for the ride but don't interact with their kids.
So I was listening to them talk to each other for a while because I couldn't get over how happy this kid was. She was really making my day.
I should probably preface this with a couple things; I hate it when people don't know how to speak properly, especially in the workplace.
“She didn't say nuthin” isn't my speed and “I acksed earlier” sounds retarded. You sound retarded. Especially if you're in the workplace.
I'm sorry but that's what I think. That's not a word. That's a double negative. How am I supposed to trust that you can do your job when you haven't even learned how the English language works? Like literally the easiest thing people have to do (talking) and you can't do that right? Obviously the exception to this is people for whom it's their second language. That I don't mind, language barrier issues are never something I judge about at all. I work with a couple people whose primary language isn't English, and who sometimes make mistakes when they talk, and that doesn't bother me one bit.
So here's the problem – that's racist. Right? Like that's how a lot of black people talk, and we're not supposed to not like it. I don't know why anyone would speak in a way that literally makes them sound retarded, but I don't think it's because they're black.
Anyway. This little girl and her mom were on the train and her mom was saying things like that to her. About “Such and such wasn't nuthin and I ain't cooking no nuthin and you acksed that earlier and I'm making tacos tonight and ain't cookin nuthin else.” But not in a angry way, or like mean. Just conversational. Like this is just how she talks.
I'm like – even if I did talk like that I'd at least notice that it was wrong and be extra careful not to do that around my kid – that way you don't end up with a teenager who talks that way. Those go from cute but stupid sounding to unappealing and repulsive. Don't you want your kid to be at the top of her game, don't you want other people to hear her speak and think highly of her?
I don't get it. Maybe I sound horrible, maybe I sound totally racist. I don't know. I just think when it comes to your kids you would want them to have the best life possible, and that involves educating them. But what will any kid do if they to go school and learn that the way their mother speaks is actually incorrect? They'll probably just dismiss it, and sound like the kid who just can't get it through their head. If I were directing a school play and the person can't even get their words in the right order, I wouldn't cast them, and it wouldn't be about their skin color, it's because they don't know how to talk.
On a side note – the guy I pointed out to you guys when I was on the train the other night, the one who was obnoxious and put his stuff all over the table and moved when there was an open one, is on this train too. And he just hit his leg on the table and it looked like it hit his knee and he was like about to scream and rubbing it like crazy trying not to make sounds because of it and I thought it was hilarious in a sad way because karma.
This might be the most charged topic I've really dived into, but don't worry. It gets worse.