symptoms to the underlying racism

We've learned that some people have a very difficult time discussing racial bias in journalism. We've learned that some people have a very difficult time realizing that the media's influence in public perception is stronger than some believe.

And we've learned that some people have a hard time believing that the press can make such blatantly racist blunders, which could be symptoms to the underlying racism that still exists in our culture. We were also reminded that the anonymous negative commentors are just as clueless and worthless and cowardly as we always remembered them as being.

I spend so much time writing, do the anonymous commentors only look at the pictures and choose which words they are going to read? Lately I have only written one or two posts a day. Do us all a favor and read them before you put your foot in your mouth.In this initial post I provide two pictures from the devastating New Orleans flood. AFP was capable of calling alleged looters looters, and that, unlike some have claimed, it was not an issue of two different agencies defining terms.

The problem at hand was that AFP had called Blacks with goods looters and whites with goods finders. At the root of anonymous negative commentors is something twisted that makes them poor readers, poorer critics, and that might lead to their cowardice of refusing to play the game like everyone else and putting their real name/email/blog next to their bullshit.
Some so go step further and alleged that I was a race-baiter. Because as we all know, if you see the press call whites "finders" and Blacks "looters" and you call the press out on their bullshit, and if you link to other discussions where others have concurred, then you are a race-baiter. Bloggers and wanna-be bloggers out there learn from this lesson: no matter what you do to prove a theory or write a post there will be snipers that will come at you from the weeds. They will attack you when you are making a clear and valid point.

Instead of aiming at the issue at hand they will name-call and try to distract the audience away from the point. Ignore those critics, especially when they don't have the nads to put their real name/email/blog next to their distortions. They will try to smear and discredit you and all I can say is ignore them, they're just slapping at your arm as you’re driving the lane. Go for the hole and tick tock don't stop.

Which means its probably in more people's hearts than we all think. Therefore think about your perceptions and your biases and if youre a journalist, just tell the damn story and keep your opinoins to the op-ed page.

And bloggers, definitely call out those who deserve to be called out, especially those who propigate stereotypes to millions through captions of photographs. Odds are there are far more people who will read the caption than the story, so those words are the most powerful in the grand discussion that we are all part of.

Slowly over the last few months I've come to the realization that I’ve been using this blog in particular and the net in general as a shelter from my life. A yearly excuse to not get involved in life around me. A shelter from my own emotions and a substitute for interpersonal relations. It helped me get through my breakups and I've "met" many wonderful people through it. For me, not necessarily for any other bloggers, it was an escape from my life, just like anyone could so call a drug and that was wrong.

However, closeting myself in this room for days on end, only getting out to shop or go for a solitary hike, is neither healthy or emotionally safe. That's why posts have slowed in their frequency and sometimes more shallow in their content. Discontent with my life along with a lot of extra responsibility at work is rearing my head.

About a few weeks ago I re-established contact with my ex-girlfriend, Sharon an we're we nearby visited each other several times. We both realized, without saying so to each other, that we were very attracted to each other and so when the time was right for both of us we got back together again to go to the mountain festival and the rest has been, as they say, history. My days, yet still spent on my computer like always, are now also spent together living, away from the net and it is simply wonderful.

So this is my way of saying that although I won't be shutting this blog down, I'm not so sad anymore. For the a time in my life I've experienced real lasting happiness and I intend to pursue that with all vigour.