Bill O'Reilly

...is a bigoted, right-wing creton with some of the most self-serving opinions I've ever heard. I would never do him the honor of watching him speak or paying to read anything he publishes. He's a worthless creep and does not deserve any more energy or attention than what I've just given him.

< /rant >

I agree that racism needs to go away. There are many who rely far too much on the race card, admittedly -- and the Al Sharptons and Jesse Jacksons of the world are overly quick to react... but that doesn't mean that racism doesn't happen.

I've written about this topic before, but He-Who-Deserves-Not-Be-Named inspired my wrath once more. What folks seem not to understand is that although racism is cited more often than necessary, IT STILL HAPPENS. Ask around and see how many people think only blacks are on welfare or live in the "ghetto." Ask your friends how many of them clutch their purses more tightly when they walk past a group of black kids. Ask how many of your friends think Hispanics are all illegal immigrants that aren't good at anything but landscaping & gangbanging. Ask them if they think that Asians are all great mathematicians that are destined to own dry cleaners & chinese food stores. Or maybe they think all Indians can't speak English and don't know anything other than convenience stores & Dunkin' Donuts franchises.

Now imagine that YOU'RE one of said persons of color. Imagine that you've had to combat these discriminatory notions for your entire life. Just imagine it -- because that's all you can do, if you've never actually lived it. Don't let the media fool you into thinking anything else... and don't let media bias sway you into adopting a mob mentality. I can't tell you how many times I've watched media outlets manufacture controversy -- and racial episodes & ideals are certainly not excluded.

Fourty years after we were finally freed legally of the remnants of slavery in America, it is still difficult to cope with racial attitudes in this country. Don't get me wrong -- like myself, there are a lot of people out there that can look someone in the eye and see past everything... but there are so many that can't get past the level of melanin in your skin. I can genuinely say that I have wonderful people in my life of all colors, who I love without regard to their skin -- and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Whenever the day finally comes that no person in America is made uncomfortable by the glances & stereotypes bestowed upon them by virtue of centuries of racist mentalities, then -- and only then -- can the subject of race truly be dropped.

That and when they stop asking that damn question on job applications.