gripes

most of the time i try to block out really unpleasant things, because allowing all negativity to enter your head and then allowing yourself to ruminate about these things can make you into an angry person. and i don't like being an angry person.

but these couple of weeks have been full of images of bigoted asshattery. first, let's state the obvious: the 60th anniversary of the liberation of auschwitz was yesterday. now, i've never fully grasped the full horrific scope of the holocaust, for a few reasons. one, i saw a documentary of the killing fields under pol pot's regime as a young teen, and i had nightmares and panic attacks for a month. it was simply the most repugnant, nightmarish, and horrific thing i have ever seen - and i couldn't just say "oh, it was only a movie" - BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY FUCKING HAPPENED. now take the killing fields and multiply that several times over. it's simply incomprehensible and deeply upsetting. like, how could a few bigoted asshats murder all these people and people just stood by and let it happen for so long? ack!!! two, i've watched friends suffer from having one close loved one pass away. i've seen the anguish of friends and loved ones when *one* hostage is threatened in iraq. now multiply the amount of pain and suffering by millions. it's just, again, beyond anything i can grasp. and if i tried to grasp it, i'd probably go nuts. i am aware that it happened decades ago, but still, the images are simply exhausting to watch.

so as i was watching footage from the 60th anniversary of the liberation of auschwitz yesterday, the thought crossed my mind: could this happen again? to another group of people? has the human race learned from this abomination? then i thought about kosovo, the kurds, sudan... and i realized just how weak and malleable human beings can be - that in certain circumstances sanctioning such evil is within our nature. and no, we really haven't changed much. so if we don't watch it and keep bigotry in check, this stuff can happen again. and again. and again. so i'm foaming and frothing but attempting to maintain some composure, because i'm at my girlfriend's house, and i didn't really feel like launching into a tirade. plus, since her family had direct experience with the holocaust, i felt it wasn't a topic that should be breached in polite company. (i hope she didn't think my lack of response to the footage was that of indifference, but really, i couldn't think of anything to say except something similar to "fuck motherfucker fuck fuck asshat evil valdemort satan," which doesn't really make any sense, so i decided just to foam and froth in silence.)

update: asshattery on the subject [via andrew sullivan]

anyhow, earlier this week a few bigoted and insensitive asshats wrote a song about "chinks" and "chinamen" dying in the tsunami, mothers dying, and children getting sold into child slavery - and played it on the air in the most well known urban radio station in new york. of course, the more civilized members of the new york city community complained. so many, in fact, that in response, the disc jockeys felt compelled to play that song over and over again to spite everyone, with one of the deejays mentioning that he would "start shooting asians." and the lone asian-american disc jockey was abused and berated by the other disc jockeys. on air. WHAT?! finally, the news began to spread, and the station was inundated with complaints. their advertisers and shareholders were targeted, and many pulled out. finally the show was suspended. and an asian american new york city councilman is leading a protest today.

as aside: to all you asian americans out there, disregard your parents when they tell you you have to be a doctor. go into law, politics, media, and journalism. i hate to point this out, but the only two prominent people who stood up and challenged this program were asian-american - the ruff ryders rapper jin and councilman john liu. expect that no one else will come to your aid (see below). sorry for being cynical, but it is really how the world works. but once you get into these pivotal positions, remember to protect everyone equally and help stop bigotry against anyone. don't stoop to hypocritical lefty nonsense... see following paragraph. (and don't turn into a right-wing asshat, but that goes without saying... frankly, i don't see much of a difference between the left and the right - both wings are populated by countless asshats)

another aside: "expect that no one else will come to your aid." ya know who i really can't stand? lefties who preach about social justice but are only out for their own kind. they see all other groups as the enemy, and they will rarely reach out to another disadvantaged group or even when an "advantaged" group is unfairly discriminated against or defamed - one principle of liberalism is "equal protection" not "i should get more at the expense of your kind." if you consider yourself a liberal, you should be willing to condemn bigotry against anyone. also people i can't stand: people who appear to be bleeding heart liberals but are only so behind the keyboard and who have don't nothing to actually *help another person*. look, i'm broke as fuck, and i was still able to shell out money to tsunami victims - even though i'm not southeast asian or south asian. i donated canned food for the winter food drive. go put your money and time where your mouth is. i don't give much, because i don't have that much, but i contribute when i can... and really, when i do get rich, expect to see me at fundraisers. and if you are really really broke and really really busy, just write one-line emails to your congressman: "hey, i think the FMA is really fucked up." and here's a special task: reach other to people who are not like yourself -- can ya do that for once? anyhow, i think a lot of lefty psychology is really messed - like always standing behind the underdog no matter how FUCKED UP the underdog may be, but i might get into that later.

i also can't stand people who profess to be your friend but won't stand by you when your race is being attacked. or your sexuality. or you personally. those aren't your friends. and they're not worth your time.

and this morning i rolled into the path station, which is located right in the middle of ground zero. talk about the icing on the cake.

so i gave to the anti defamation league this morning, because all of this asshattery is making me mad - see their section on "extremism" - they even cover extremist animal rights groups, who i consider to be a bunch of asshats (definitely not as bad as neo-nazis but dipshits in their own right).

asshattery must be stopped!

*okay, gets off soapbox*