Random Sister Wars

Here's the thing. I love my big sister. She's a sweetheart. I'd cut somebody for messing with my sister. But right now, I feel like putting her in a headlock.

See, unlike me, my sister is very sensitive. She also holds a grudge until the death. Unfortunately after about 30 years of sisterhood bliss I have managed to, according to my mother, hurt my sister's feelings by being "harsh". Sigh.

Here's what happened. The day after I'd spent the entire day writing at work, my sister, who is in her last semester in college for Forensic Science (Yay!), called to ask me to help her with a college paper. She'd heard that I was driving to Detroit the next day (5 hours) to drop off my daughter, who was staying for Spring break with my folks. (I know it was rude of me to make my daughter spend Spring break in Detroit but stop judging!)

So,on the one day that I planned to squeeze in a quick visit with family before driving back home, my sister wanted me to spend several hours working on her paper. I laughed and politely said "Girl, I'm not coming to Detroit to do a paper." Sure, my overhead bubble was saying, "Are you freakin' kidding me?" but I was careful to keep that tone out of my voice. I must not have been as successful as I thought because, low and behold, her feelings got hurt.

Now, if she wasn't my sister I would say, "Get over it, you big baby" and be done with her. But she's my sister and again I love her. So, I tried calling her to clear the air. No answer. Five calls later, still no answer. So apparently, she's not speaking to me. Great!

I know my sister. She still be mad 20 years from now if I don't find a way to make up with her. The only problem is, now I'm mad. Because seriously, she can not be mad at me over how I choose to spend my time - not after I've helped her with papers for years. Even if my tone was a little...unfiltered. Seriously, a writer on vacation only wants to write for fun. That does not include writing a term paper in any way shape or form. Would she ask her gynecologist for a pap smear on the golf course? I hope not.

Fortunately for my sister, I don't hold grudges. I've tried. Can't do it. So, eventually I'll try to make up with her again. Maybe this time I'll try email.

RANDOM IGNORANCE: Hate Incidents On The Rise

The Chicago Tribune recently reported a rise in hate incidents in the weeks since Barack Obama's election as the first black president of the US. White supremacists have been whipped into a tizzy burning crosses, spray painting racist graffiti, starting assassination pools and creating effigies of Barack in dozens towns across the country.

More than 200 incidents have been reported over the past few weeks. Racist Web sites are boasting that their servers are crashing under the weight of increases in page views. Even the Ku Klux Klan is trying to make a come back. (source)

People's capacity for ignorance never ceases to amaze me. When will white extremists realize that their ideas are outdated? Don't they realize that they are outnumbered? Did they not have televisions in the militia bunkers to see this country coming together to give everyone a shot at something better? The Ku Klux Klan must know that they face a totally different America than they did in the past.

My fiance said over and over again during the election that it is a shame that some people would rather vote for a sponge than vote for Barack Obama just because he is black. They would rather watch our economy continue to crash and burn, watch jobs continue to dry up and companies continue to go under than to watch a black man move into the White House.

Well, as it turned out those misguided, misinformed people did not matter on Nov. 4. The rest of us who have some common sense won. Barack Obama won. Unity won. And the long sordid history of racism, hatred and intolerance in this country lost.

Michelle Obama caught flack for saying this some months ago but I share her sentiment. I have never been more proud of my country than I am right now. And these foolish people who will not let go of their ignorant, racist ideas can't take that from me.

They are outnumbered - not just in terms of a more diverse population but - by people of all races even of their own who realize that we are all more alike than we are different. They are outnumbered by people who refuse to live in the past. Those of us who believe in a country that is no longer divided, angry or ashamed collectively cancel out their combined ignorance.

The key is to not buckle under their hate. We must not give their hate the fuel it needs to survive - fear. We must join together and put these idiots on notice. Irrational hate will no longer be tolerated. We will not be intimidated, bullied or terrorized by stupidity. Tolerance wins and we are not afraid!