Burning Questions About Jeremy Lin, Basketball and the NBA

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

I think you'd have to be living under a rock to not know something about Jeremy Lin. He's the Chinese-American, Harvard grad, who according to reports, has single-handedly turned the New York Knicks basketball team around from a losing streak to, #winning!

His story is a NBA fairy tale. Passed over for a permanent position in the NBA, Lin was sleeping on his brother's couch waiting for a miracle. One came when he got a short-term contract to play for the Knicks. During that time he played so well, he was offered an official contract and Lin-sanity ensues. He's on the cover of magazines, on ESPN, endorsement deals are rolling in, his name has inspired any number of clever puns, and the entire country of China now suddenly cares about basketball. Okay, that last part is a stretch, but still.

So, that's the glossed over, layman's description of the Jeremy Lin saga. So here are my burning questions.

1. Yes the 'from sleeping on my brother's couch to NBA star' is a compelling tale. And yes, there are less than five other Ivy league grads in the NBA, but can we all admit that the reason Jeremy Lin is such a fascinating figure is that he is Chinese?

2. If the answer to the above is yes, what does that say about our collective racist group think mentality? That is, why is it so amazing that a Chinese-American can play professional level basketball? Is it okay to just say, well, it's just that we just never see Chinese people playing in the NBA so it's so different. Or should we not be asking ourselves what is truly underlying these feelings of shock and awe?

3. Is there a difference between Lin-sanity and what we experienced when we saw Venus Williams take home her first Grand Slam trophy? Or when Tiger Woods donned his first green jacket? I think so. With Venus Williams and Tiger Woods the conversation was about access. If given access, wouldn't more Black kids play (and dominate) tennis and/or golf? But with Jeremy Lin, aren't we all just surprised that Asian men can jump? Why is that?

4. For those of you who have been following Lin's career, aren't you happy that he is so humble and a total cutie pie?

5. And finally, why do you think more Asian players aren't in the NBA? Answer that if you dare.

Okay, enlighten me with your wisdom, dear readers. I'm listening.

Peace!

Three Burning Questions About Red Tails...And Yes I Loved the Movie

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

So, I took my kids to see Red Tails this weekend and I'm glad I did. I thought the movie was a wonderful vehicle to introduce young and old to the heroics of the Tuskegee Airmen. Yes, it was a little cheesy and some of the lines were corny but it was a war film. I expected nothing less. I cheered and cried at all the right places. Most importantly though, I loved seeing a movie with a bunch of Black men being heroes. All of them. Heroes in uniform, fighting for their country. That I could take my sons to see that on the big screen was priceless.

So, please, go see the film. Support George Lucas's passion project. Show Hollywood that a film that features an all-Black cast (that isn't made by Tyler Perry) can make money.

Now, here are some random facts about me and the Red Tails experience that perhaps will entice you to see the film if the whole George Lucas using his own money thing isn't grabbing you.

1. Did you know that Red Tails producer, Geroge Lucas is married to a Black woman, the beautiful and whip-smart economist Mellody Hobson? I kinda forgot about that until el esposo reminded me. And even though this movie has been in the works longer than their relationship, I'm wondering if being attached to Ms. Hobson, in any way influenced his desire/passion to get this done? What do you think? It couldn't hurt right?

2. For those of you who have seen the film and noticed the off-handed insult about my hometown of Milwaukee, did you think that was random? Probably not as I just found out that the co-writer of Red Tails, John Ridley, is from Milwaukee and apparently we didn't live very far apart. Small world, right?

3. Are you surprised that the Saturday afternoon showing of Red Tails that I took my kids to see was packed? There wasn't an empty seat in the house. Are you surprised that everyone single seat was filled by Black people, save four older White people who I know from the Unitarian Church by my house? Love those Unitarians! Do you think a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen isn't relevant to White audiences?

 I'm listening for your answers.

Peace!

Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

The world really is a crazy place. Makes me question some things. Maybe you can help me with some answers.

1. These so-called race riots in London and the rest of England sound awful. But I'm having a hard time understanding the looting and lawlessness and overall destruction without any kind of clear issue to protest against. In fact, it seems to me that a British race riot sounds a whole lot like a Philly flash mob. What do you think, dear readers, is the difference?

2. Did anyone else -- especially my readers in Germany -- read about the controversy over this advertisement for chocolate cake that features a shirtless Black child in the ad? If you read the story, the bakery owner claims the child in the photo is one of his employees' children and the connection to the chocolate cake was inadvertent. Excuse me? I'm scratching my head on this one. Was this just an oversight? Are protesters being too sensitive? What do you think?

3. What about The Help? In case you haven't been following all of the heated debates about the new movie based on the bestselling book by Kathryn Stockett, here's the deal. A lot of people of color are annoyed that yet another "White" version of the Black experience is being exalted and praised. There's a very good essay explaining the discontent written by Valerie Boyd called, "A Feel Good Movie for White People." Martha Southgate also penned a great piece in Entertainment Weekly about the historical inaccuracies the movie portrays. So here's my question. Can any self-respecting Black woman go see the movie without wearing dark glasses and a big hat? What do you think? If a film by its very existence is perpetuating stereotype and myth about your own people, what's the right thing to do?

So those are my burning questions. I'm listening for your answers.

Peace and Sweet Baby Feet!

Burning Questions from The Meltingpot

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

It's the middle of the week and already my mind is swirling with questions. Got answers? Please share.

1. Is it just me or do other people think adult adoptions are kind of a good idea? I mean if you don't have parents and you find a nice older couple who doesn't have children but likes you a heck of a lot, why not legally form a family? Apparently this is a trend that's finding traction in the United States. Here's a recent story about Adult Adoptions. What do you think? Is there a need to legalize such arrangements? Do you see any obvious pitfalls to the process?

2. So my next question is; how do you say Black hair politics in German? My friend, author and journalist Rose-Anne Clermont over at Currents Between Shores has gotten herself embroiled in a messy minefield of Black hair (and ashy skin) politics. Apparently there is some disagreement amongst her readers about what uncombed Black hair means in Germany. The whole conversation started with Clermont's post about seeing mixed Afro-German kids with hair that was a hot mess (my words not hers.) Please check out the conversation and see if you have anything to add.

3. Okay. So my final question is a simple one. Well, maybe not so simple. Has anyone else been following the um, er, recent scandal involving supermodel, Naomi Campbell and the Cadbury chocolate company? Well, for those of you who might not have been tuned in, Ms. Campbell was threatening to sue the candy company because she believed they had used her name in a racist way to sell their new chocolate bar. The ad read, "Move over Naomi Campbell, there's a new diva in town," and showed a picture of a chocolate bar sitting on a pile of diamonds. You can read the story on the Huffington Post and see a picture of the advert. After Campbell's complaint, the company pulled the ad and issued an apology, but Campbell still chastised them claiming they had insulted Black people the world over for comparing us/them to chocolate. Now here's my question. Did she go too far? I'm having a hard time mustering up my indignity over this one. I mean, she has every right to not want her name on candy bar ad, but she was calling on Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to take up the fight. So, tell me, Meltingpot readers, was there really a fight to be had here? I'm totally listening.

Thanks for reading and helping me find the answers to my most pressing questions.

Burning Questions from The Meltingpot

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

So much going on in the world. So many questions to be answered. Here's some I'm hoping you can help me with.

1. Is it just me, or did everyone else out there assume that the chambermaid at the luxury New York City hotel that IMF chief, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is accused of sexually assaulting, had to be a woman of color? I made that assumption based on the economics of New York City and who makes up the majority of hotel staff. Indeed, it turns out the woman is an African immigrant from Guinea. Her identity has been revealed in the European press. Here's a link to the story. Do you think race will become a factor in the trial or will be used in Strauss-Kahn's defense that the sex was consensual? Dear Lord, I hope not. But I'm sure it will. I've already seen a headline insinuating the woman ( a widow and mother of a young teen) may be HIV positive. Stay tuned for what I'm sure will be a whole lot of dirt be flung on this poor woman.

2. Did anybody else see the Psychology Today headline, "Why Are Black Women Less Physically Attractive Than Other Women?" and think it was a joke, only to find out it was an actual story the magazine ran on their website? Yes, it's true that the pseudo-science magazine published an article written by one Satoshi Kanazawa who actually claimed "scientifically" that Black women have more testosterone which makes them a less attractive species. Excuse me? If you don't believe me, check out the story here. And then check out the Colorlines analysis written by journalist Akiba Solomon.

3. Can anybody help me figure out why I keep weeping at the recent final implosion of Kinky Gazpacho II? I'd like to blame it on pregnancy hormones because I knew it wasn't going to work out. But to see my sister-in-law and my little brother destroyed, has truly become unbearable to witness. While the romantic writer in me wanted a happy ending, I suspected all along that lightning doesn't generally strike twice in the same family. I need a cross-cultural romance story to revive my spirits. Can you recommend one to me? Fact or fiction.

4. And finally, is anyone else just a little peeved and kind of curious why the producers of Good Morning America seemed to have dismissed any need to diversify their on-air anchors? Now the morning news on ABC is delivered by Robin Roberts and four other White people. I like White people as much as the next guy, but I kind of thought there was an unspoken rule of morning shows that you want the cast to reflect America's diversity. See the Today Show for an example. Yes, it's tokenism (Al Roker, I'm talking to you), but the point is made. Head scratching on that one. So does GMA just not care? Hmmm... it's a burning question for me.

Thanks for any answers you can share.

Peace.

Burning Questions from The Meltingpot

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

I'm on a crazy deadline today for a new project I'm working on. So I thought I'd post some of the burning questions messing with my mind in the hopes that you can help me out.

1. Why or why was Juju Chang, the news anchor on Good Morning America, removed from her posting only to be replaced by a White male former sportscaster? According to the Huffington Post this was not a demotion, but it still seems fishy to me. Since the morning cast already includes two White men, doesn't it seem a little odd that they'd replace a woman of color --who happens to be a darn good reporter -- with another White dude? Help me understand this please.

2. I recently finished Junot Diaz's Pulitzer Prize winning work, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and enjoyed it very much. But I was left scratching my head over Diaz's liberal use of the N-word in referring to the Dominican Oscar and his other Dominican peeps. Did I miss something? When did Dominicans become Black? Last I heard the last thing a Dominican wants to be known as, it's Black. But maybe I'm wrong. Or maybe Black is taboo but referring to oneself as a N-word, is okay. Anybody care to shed some light on Dominican racial politics?

And finally,

3. Did anyone else watch Grey's Anatomy last night and cringe through the whole ridiculous episode? Here's a show that is trying to grapple with same-sex marriage, single motherhood, infertility, interracial relationships, and serious medical issues, all in a one-hour time slot and they decide the show could be even more exciting if they make all of their actors sing their lines. Yes, you heard me. Last night, in one of the most intense and horrific episodes, the producers of Grey's decided to turn the show into a musical. Why? That's my only question. Why? Did anyone else besides me watch the show with the volume on mute?

I'm waiting for your answers people. I'm listening.

Peace.

Burning Questions from The Meltingpot

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

Today is hump day. It's the first day of a new month. And it seems like the perfect time to get some of my most burning questions answered. Hopefully you can help.

1. Why does Jesse Jackson think he holds the authority to decide who is and isn't Black enough in this country? First it was President Barack Obama, and now he's decided CNN anchor, Soledad O'Brien doesn't count as an official member of the tribe.


2. December is National Buy a Book by a Black Author and Give it to Someone Not Black Month, now affectionately known as
NBABBABAAGITSNBM. So my question is, what books are you going to buy and who are you going to give them to? If you need suggestions, you can always check out NBABBABAAGITSNBM's founder, Carleen Brice's awesome website, where she's making suggestions for good books all month long. And there are plenty of giveaways too!

3. Is it just me, or has there been a surge of racist humor aimed at Indians on television these days? Between
the new NBC show Outsourced and those awful Metro PCS commercials, Indians seem to be the new punch line of pop culture humor. Why is that? Here's an article about Outsourced that discusses the issue and another article about the commercials. Apparently I'm not the only one concerned, but why do you suppose this is happening now?

4. I've always known that China isn't teaming with Black people and therefore the country may not be exactly enforcing the need for cultural sensitivity training when it comes to racism and offensive stereotypes. But did you know one of the best-selling brands of toothpaste in China is called "Darkie" and features a grinning caricature of a man in blackface on the box? What's worse, the company that makes the toothpaste is owned by Colgate. This story couldn't be made up. Do you think China has an obligation to retire the Darkie brand?

Burning Questions from The Meltingpot

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

It's been awhile, but my mind has not stopped wondering about a few things. Maybe you can help me figure out the answers.

1. I love to read, we know that. I love to read about multicultural characters, we know that too. So how is it possible, it wasn't until yesterday that I heard of the very prolific author, Zetta Elliott? I stopped by my local indie bookstore bemoaning my lack of inspiration to revise my YA novel and the very wise and competent bookseller dropped Elliott's book, A Wish After Midnight into my lap. The novel is about a 15-year-old Black girl who gets transported back in time, from her modern Brooklyn neighborhood into Civil-War-era New York. It's been compared to Octavia Butler's Kindred (which I read and loved) and Madeline L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time (another book I LOVED!!!). So is it just me, or have the rest of you all heard of Elliott? What can you tell me about her work?

2. This is a quickie. How many of you plan to boycott the film, The Last Airbender because of the whitewashed casting? If you're like me, you don't even know what an Airbender is, but you feel for the cause. Apparently the movie is based on a comic featuring Asian/Inuit characters. In the movie however, the Asians appear only in the background or as bad guys and White actors get all of the glory. (grrr). So I can't say I'm boycotting the movie because of this, because I wouldn't have seen it anyway, but I will talk about it if someone asks. What do you think about the boycott? Justified? Need more information? Check out this new website created to educate people and protest against Hollywood whitewashing. (Photo above from blog Thoughts on the Asian Stage)

3. Did anybody else not take their kids to see fireworks yesterday? I'm not unpatriotic, but I couldn't fathom the idea of dragging my kids to Center City Philadelphia to sit amongst the throngs of people trying to do the same thing. There were no community fireworks displays near our home, so I said forget it. But I'm not a total holiday humbug. In the spirit of our country's independence, we took the kids on a tour of this historical house which played a pivotal role in the revolutionary war. And then we went to eat at our favorite Korean restaurant, followed by cherry slurpees from 7-Eleven. If that's not an all-American experience I don't know what is. And my kids thought it was a perfect day. So what did you do?

Peace!

******************************
P.S. The Winner of the Katherine Paterson book, The Day of the Pelican is AnaCeleste. Ana, please send an email to myamericanmeltingpot@gmail.com with your mailing address so I can get this book to you before you fly off to Korea!!!

Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

It's Friday, people, so that means I have questions. So many questions. Maybe you can help me out.

1. Is it just me, or have you noticed more commercials featuring interracial families on network TV? I just saw a Playskool toy commercial with a little biracial girl and her White mother. And I swear I've seen others recently. Anyone else noticing this trend? And if so, does this mean anything?

2. Does anyone else not really like watching ABC's Private Practice, but sometimes can't help getting sucked into the drama after watching Grey's Anatomy? And if so, did you watch last night and kind of cringe when Taye Diggs leaned over and locked lips with Kate Walsh? Or were you kind of hoping those two might be the new sexy, hot primetime couple? Me? I was definitely on the fence. Not b/c I have a problem with the Black man, White woman thing...no, I just don't like Kate Walsh's character on the show.

3. And while we're on the topic of interracial couples, has everyone gone over to the Mixed and Happy blog and added your peeps to the list of mixed and happy families? They only need 47 more people to post by December 15 to meet their goal of 100 mixed and happy folks.

4. Speaking of happy, doesn't Dominican baseball star Sammy Sosa seem a little too happy about his "accidentally" whiter skin? He claims that his dramatically whitened appearance occurred because his nightly skin cream stripped away the melanin in his face. Oopps! Basically he's pulled a Michael Jackson, going from cinnamon brown to, well, kind of pasty white. Check out the photos at Clutch magazine and let me know if that isn't just a little bit disturbing?

5. And to end on a happy note. Did you know in college I majored in education with the secret fantasy of working for Sesame Street? Well, it never happened, but that doesn't take away from the fact that I still love the show, probably now more than ever. I think I've always loved Sesame Street even as a child, because I saw brown, Black, and White people living together and it seemed like the perfect place to be. As a matter of fact, when the show debuted in 1969, according to Time magazine, " it was one of the first TV shows to depict an inclusive, racially harmonious neighborhood, prompting Mississippi to ban it (briefly) in 1970." (Shame on you Mississippi!)So Happy Birthday, Sesame Street: Here's to 40 more fantastic multiracial, multicultural entertaining, educational and most importantly, hilarious years on television. Do you have a favorite Sesame Street moment?

Peace!

Three Really Hot Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

People, people, people. What a week it has been. Folks just acting a fool left and right. You know I have questions so here we go:

1. What is Alison Samuels smoking that has made her lose all sense of journalistic integrity? She already made people question her judgment in writing that irritating opinion piece about Zahara Jolie-Pitt's hair, but then she thought it prudent to write a follow-up piece defending the first ridiculous article. Some have suggested she's just looking for publicity in attacking one of the most famous celebrity families on the planet. Others say she is suffering from a severe case of self-hatred which she is projecting on poor Zahara. Either way, I want to know why we have to read about it in Newsweek?

2. And speaking of possible publicity stunts, is that what's behind Tyra Banks' decision to have her contestants on America's Next Top Model pose in blackface -- or better said in "mixed face" -- in some sugar cane fields in Hawaii for the show? If you hadn't heard about this latest hulabaloo in TV land, you can read about it on Yahoo news or check out Clutch magazine's take on the story. I don't know. It makes me uncomfortable on many levels, but does Tyra get a pass as a woman of color to play with "blackface?" Is this just fashion/art? And obviously we don't all have to agree, but are you okay with this? Would you be okay if this is precedent setting and fashion shoots and fashion shows in the future use White girls in face paint instead of real Mixed or Black models? Hmmm... I wonder.

3. So tomorrow is Halloween and the next day is Day of the Dead or rather Dia de los Muertos. I had the great pleasure of being invited to a Mexican friend's home one year to paint sugar skulls and participate in a traditional Day of the Dead celebration. But here's my question. In this month's Cookie magazine (may she rest in peace), they have an article about how to throw your own authentic Day of the Day celebration. Is that okay? I mean if Day of the Dead isn't part of your cultural heritage should you really be celebrating? I mean wouldn't that be like frying up the latkes in early December and celebrating Hannukah? Or ordering in Indian take-out for your own Diwali festival? I mean where do we draw the line people? Or am I reading this wrong? What do you think?

So dear readers, if you have some answers, let them rip.

Happy Halloween and remember to eat all that candy responsibly. Friends don't let friends eat the whole bag of Snickers...in one day.

Peace.

Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

It's the end of the week and I have so many questions swirling through my mind. First and foremost:

1. Is everyone else feeling a renewed sense of hope and possibility with the announcement that President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize this morning? And at the same time, are you wishing that all of the people who feel compelled to whine and complain that he doesn't deserve it, would just shut up already?

2. Does anyone else not really care all that much that Mattel has released a new set of Black Barbies and in fact wonders what all the hoopla is about considering there have been Black Barbies on the market since the 1960s? But at the same time, wishes that if they were going to update Black Barbie, they wouldn't have named her Trichelle?

3. Is anyone else out there thinking that right now, Jon Gosselin is like the most photographed Asian-American man right now, and yet the Asian community doesn't seem to embrace him? Why is that? Or am I wrong? Does Jon Gosselin have any kind of Asian fan base? Do Asian-Americans even claim him? Does the rest of America even view him through a racial lens? Or is he just the dad of multiples from TLC?

4. How many people are going to see Chris Rock's new movie, Good Hair, which opens this weekend? I've already seen it and had mixed opinions.

5. Did anybody else hear about the TV show in Australia where White actors performed a comedy skit called The Jackson Jive in blackface and find themselves secretly saying, I knew Australia had issues with Black people, but this just proves it? And even though there have been several public apologies by the show's producer who invited the buffoons on the program,and even though you know you shouldn't judge an entire country by one stupid act, do you still feel like that flight to Australia might not be worth it? I'm just wondering?

Burning Questions from the Meltingpot!

It's Friday and the week's been exciting, filling my head with tons of questions.

1. Is anybody else excited to see Chris Rock's new documentary, Good Hair, about Black women's hair culture, but still wondering why there were no women involved in writing or directing the film?

2. Does anybody else think Serena Williams should get her mouth washed out with soap for having such a potty mouth on the court, but still thinks folks are overreacting about the whole thing because a Black woman cursing is still unacceptable and just a wee bit scary to certain people?

3. Did anybody else roll their eyes when they found out that actress Katherine Heigl was adopting a baby girl from South Korea, and then feel like a major boob after finding out that Heigl's own sister is an adoptee from Korea, which then provided yet another glaring example of why you can never know the inspiration behind people's adoption decisions?

4. Is anybody else waiting with bated breath for Kanye West and Taylor Swift to record a duet together that will then spur a worldwide hip hop country movement?

5. Did anybody else read this article in Time magazine about the plight of Afro-Mexicans in Mexico and end up wondering if there is anywhere in this world where Africans were enslaved but in return they were provided even the smallest token of thanks?

So don't all speak at once. Just post your answers in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

Peace!

Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

It's Friday, so that means I have questions. Hopefully some of you have the answers.

1. Does everybody who cares about Meltingpot America and loves good theater and uber talented actors worship Sarah Jones? If you don't, you should start now because she is the real deal. Or as the New Yorker magazine says, she is "a multicultural mynah bird [who] lays our mongrel nation before us with gorgeous, pitch-perfect impersonations of the rarely heard or dramatized." The Meltingpot totally (hearts) Sarah Jones!

2. Can you believe I actually sat through an entire Tyler Perry movie and not once felt the need to yell or throw something at the screen? I honestly enjoyed The Family that Preys and would recommend it for a Wednesday night home alone flick. I give all credit to the stellar cast, including Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, Sanaa Lathan and Taraji P. Henderson. Yes, the storyline was rather predictable, but I have to give it to Mr. Perry that he did a fair job of portraying some of the subtle nuances of intra-racial relationships between Whites and Blacks in the American south. Anybody else see this movie and have an opinion?

3. Am I the only one who didn't bother to get cable or one of those converter boxes and now is forced to watch Tyler Perry movies from the library every night?

4. Is Fat Juicy Oyster the best name ever for a blog? Don't you want to just read it because of the title? Would you guess that Fat Juicy Oyster is living my dream life? Black woman living fabulously in Spain, dating a Serb, writing about it well. Okay, the Serb boyfriend wasn't really my dream, but still...

5. Does anybody else have mixed feelings about Juneteenth Day, which is today? Does anybody know what Juneteenth Day is? From the Juneteenth website:

"Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance."

So we're supposed to celebrate the fact that the slaves in Texas had to wait an extra two years to be free? I know that's not exactly it, but I'd love someone to tell me how they celebrate this day with pride?

And that's it for now. Enjoy the weekend.

Peace!

Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

I know it's not Friday, but my head is full of these burning questions. Perhaps you can help.

1. Do you think Disney was trying to be progressive when they decided that the love interest (aka Prince Naveen) of their first Black princess should be White (or as they like to say, racially ambiguous)? Or were they afraid mainstream audiences just couldn't get behind a "happily ever after" that involved two Black people? Should we even by debating the issue or should we just be happy there's finally an animated interracial couple in the mix? No pun intended. Here's one woman's perspective on the issue.

2. And while we're on the subject of The Princes and the Frog movie, is it common knowledge that Oprah Winfrey voices the princess's mother or did the publicist I spoke with actually give me some real news?

3. Why is Sonia Sotomayor described as "mean and nasty," on Fox News, but a White man with a similar persona is considered "acerbic?"

4. Doesn't anybody in the national news media watch enough Law & Order to know that Bonnie Sweeten's tall tales -- she claimed two Black men kidnapped her and her daughter when she had really stolen a lot of money and taken her daughter to Disneyland -- were so implausible that they would look like incompetent fools for running the story as headline news? Do you think her blond hair or the pervasive fear of scary Black men influenced them at all?

5. Is this not the most delicious example of a multiracial, multilingual, meltingpot family? And after viewing this snapshot of life don't you just kind of want to live your own life more fully?

And on that happy note, happy hump day and thanks for listening.

Peace!

(p.s. don't forget to comment in yesterday's post for the Kinky Gazpacho book drawing.)

More Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

It's Friday, so that means I have a week's worth of burning questions tearing through my mind. Maybe you can help me answer some of them.

1. Is anyone else secretly following the tabloid rumors of the impending break-up of TV's favorite multi-racial couple, Jon & Kate, of Jon & Kate + 8 fame? I don't spend a lot of time thinking about those two, but it seems like the media is just waiting for them to fall to pieces. I'm just hoping that whatever happens, Jon & Kate figure out how to slink under the radar of their adoring public and deal with their eight kids, who probably feel pretty crappy right now. And in the meantime, if TLC is looking for a new multi-racial family to shine their reality lights on, how about Seal and Heidi Klum. I might get cable just to watch.

2. Are there any other Black people out there who felt that Oprah should have just said 'no, thank you,' to the people at Kentucky Fried Chicken? And does that make me a racist for thinking that?

3. Did anybody else watch Adam Sandler's movie, You Don't Mess with the Zohan and think he deserved a bit of credit for trying to make a point about Israeli, Palestinian relations, even if it was silly and kind of gross? And why didn't anybody tell me Mariah Carey was in that movie? In case you didn't know, the Meltingpot loves Mariah.

4. Does anyone else with mixed-race children believe in the Mongolian spot? I was told that the bluish/purple spot on my son's butt cheek was a result of his mixed-race heritage. And this has been confirmed anecdotally by friends. So is the Mongolian spot fact or fiction, and why is it called that anyway?

5. Finally, May is almost half over and I just realized (thanks Jenny) that May is Asian Heritage Month. So I'm wondering, do Asian people care about this month and if so, how is it celebrated? What would be a good way for non-Asian people to celebrate or at least recognize Asian heritage month? Suggestions welcome.

Peace.

More Burning Questions from the Meltingpot

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

Just a few things on my mind this Friday.

1. Why in 2009 do African-Americans make up only 2 percent of the number of architects in this country?

2. If you're a White woman who doesn't think too highly of Hispanic people, why would you marry a Colombian man, have his child and then freak out because your child will be considered Hispanic as well? And then, why would you admit to your blatantly racist and disturbing thoughts in a blog post in the New York Times?

3. Even though indie filmmakers have no problem making amazing movies that reflect the diversity of this American meltingpot, why can't the big suits in Hollywood get a clue? (answers can be found here)

4. How many Black women do you know are married to Indian men and blog openly about their lives?

5. Why am I so obsessed with Portugal, Lisbon to be precise? Why does that place seem so magical to me and how can I fanagle a week there this summer with family in tow for a low, low, price? Ideas? (That's Lisbon in the picture above.)

Ponder the answers and post your comments. See ya next week!

Peace.