Hi Meltingpot Readers,
First of all, how do you like the new look? You can be honest. I kind of like it. Feels more me than the sparse black look before. If I had just a shred of cyber creativity and know-how, I'd make the Meltingpot even more attractive but I'm stuck working with templates right now. I hope my powerful words and witty voice are enough to keep you all coming back. Oh, but I also just got a new flip camera, so if I can figure out how to work it, I'll be adding some Meltingpot TV moments here too in the near future. Can't wait!
In the meantime, I hope you are all planning to hug somebody of another race tomorrow, in honor of Loving Day, the day that commemorates the 1967 supreme court decision (Loving vs Virginia) banning anti-miscegenation laws which still existed in 16 states at the time. If you want to do more, try buying a tee shirt capturing the Loving Day spirit from my company, Whatrugear or host your own Loving Day gathering with a bunch of friends of different races and watch the World Cup together. I think just watching all of those people from different countries gathering in South Africa is a Loving Day experience we would have never imagined ten years ago.
Now I have to admit, I'm not going to any special Loving Day celebrations because I will be cheering on my son's little league team as they vie for the league championships. Who knew baseball would take over my life? But I have to admit, I'm enjoying it immensely. When my not-quite athletically inclined son hits the ball and actually makes it on base, it brings tears to my eyes and I'm the loudest cheerleader in the bleachers. Other parents have actually asked me if I was a cheerleader in high school or college. I wasn't, in case you were wondering.
Besides baseball, the other must-see event in the Kinky Gazpacho household this weekend is not World Cup soccer, it's The Karate Kid. Every since we saw the previews of little Jaden Smith in China, we've all been super excited for this movie to come out. My boys are excited about the Karate (which in China is actually Kung Fu, not Karate), I'm intrigued as to how they'll treat the culture clash of Chinese and Black American culture. And I admit, I'm thrilled to have my kids see an action-packed kid-friendly movie where the cute kid who gets to do all the cool moves is brown instead of a cute red head with freckles or a blond boy with striking blue eyes. Or a guinea pig! They need to see themselves on the big screen, just like the rest of us.
I'll post my review of the film next week. So, people. What are you going to do this weekend? Do you have World Cup fever? Does your spouse? Are you going to see the Karate Kid? Maybe you're going to Los Angeles to take part in the awesome Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival. It's the biggest West Coast Loving Day celebration and it's free.
Inspire us with your plans for the weekend.
I'm listening.
Peace.
6 comments:
My husband doesn't normally like soccer, but it was on in the bank today and he couldn't take his eyes off the screen. We don't have a TV though so he won't be watching the World Cup.
I hug somebody of a different race every day.
I'm so excited about the World Cup.
I wish I was in South Africa.
If the numbers hold, The Karate Kid will be the number one movie this weekend beating out The A-Team.
The Karate Kid was great, and if they come out with a sequel, I'll be in line for it too.
Lovelyn,
Your poor hubby...but lucky you.
Ruth.
Good for you!
Ragazza,
Yeah Karate Kid. But whose idea was it to remake the A-team?
Evelyn,
I agree!
I have also read the blog "Black in Cairo", and posted my experiences there. I have lived in the UK, Germany and recently worked in Spain for 5 months (in an office as an IT professional).
I stress in an office ... because during my stay in Barcelona, I was constantly verbaly abused as "trabahando, puta, mala, mala vida etc.". This even at the place where I worked.
During this 5 months I had to move houses 5 times always finding another accommodation sharing with a Catalan. Yes at the beginning they seemed to be nice, until you moved in. Then the intrigues, lies and abuse begin. I was forced to go to the police twice to report these intrigues.
I have suffered racism both in the UK and Germany. In Bracknell, HSBC refused to open a bank account for me. I was working with a reputable IT company in Bracknell and was paid well. The female bank clerk was not interested in this. She saw me and I supposed assumed all sorts of things and refused me. I said nothing and just went to Barclays to open an account. As a student, I had a bank account with Barclays, and closed it when I left for Germany.
Anyway what I am trying to say is I have suffered a lot of racism in both UK and Germany. But never so much racism in such a short time - 5 months, as I did in Spain. The Spanish can be extremely vulgar in regards to their racism. During one of my house moves I remember having to rush to the shops to get a container to move my things. I was rushing because I had to get to work after this. As I paid for the container, one of the assistants began to laugh and shouted out "tiene suerte en la avenida". I was in too much of a rush to respond to this.
I just do not understand why they have so much hate for me, although they know nothing about me!
Post a Comment