Of Course Tyler the Creator's Mountain Dew Ad Was Racist

So, I'm not sure how many of you have seen this Mountain Dew ad that was recently pulled that was made by Tyler the Creator. I hadn't watched it until I stumbled on this post from CNN. I tried to post a direct link to the video but since it's been pulled YouTube is doing a good job policing any uploading of it. But you can watch most of it on the CNN website.

Now I usually agree with CNN opinion articles. I'm liberal, they're liberal, so we don't disagree on that much. But I was shocked that the author of this article is trying to act like this ad is funny and not racist. He calls it a "sad, sad day when the policing of comedy gets to a point where we can't even laugh at a talking goat."

He tries to compare the humor in the ad to a Chappelle skit where Chappelle plays a blind racist who thinks he's white. The problem with this comparison is that Chappelle is calling out the racism while making fun of it. This ad by Tyler just IS racist. It doesn't lead on that it knows it's being racist. Sure some of the names are funny"(aka again pretty much racist) but having an abused woman pick out her abuser out of an all-black lineup can't be called anything but racist.

So not only is the ad racist and promote violence to women, but it's NOT FUNNY! That's almost the worst part. Had it been done with some sort of tongue-in-cheek twist (like a blind black racist who thinks he's white) then you could make the argument that it's done in humor. I can only imagine that the author was looking at this picture of Tyler the Creator while writing his article to explain how he thinks this commercial is in any way like the Chappelle skit. Thank goodness for the author of this CNN article he is black. Because if he had been a white man trying to write an article about the ad not being racist he would have probably lost his job.

The author seems to think along the lines of Tyler the Creator who claims to be "not homophobic" despite using the term "f*gg*t" just about every other word because he is friends with Frank Ocean. Just because the intention of the ad was to be funny doesn't mean it's not racist.

All Writers Need an Editor

Tonight, my daughter and wife arrived home from the movie theater. My daughter curled up next to me on the couch, where I was writing, and ensconced herself in my blanket.

"What are you doing daddy?" she asked

"Writing in my blog" I answered, enjoying the warmth and love.

"What's a blog?"

"It's like a journal" My wife answered as she entered the living room and sat down beside us.

"Would you like me to read some of what I've written?" I asked my daughter.

"Sure." said my daughter lacking certainty. It was evident that not all of what we were saying was sinking in for my seven year old.

So I began reading some of my blog entries. I searched for ones that involved my daughter somehow. Both my wife and daughter seemed to enjoy my stories, as I recounted some interaction with my daughter that I found amusing or worth writing about. As I read, I wondered if the stories I wrote, showing my daughter's growth impressed my wife as insightful...

"Daddy" My daughter said, bringing me back to the here and now, "Annabelle, who's Annabelle?"

"What?" I asked, puzzled.

"There wasn't anyone named Annabelle in my class" replied my daughter.

In my story, I had recounted something that my daughter had said about a classmate named Annabelle.

"You told me your classmate was named Annabelle" I countered, feeling a bit defensive.

"I don't know anyone named Annabelle." she said. "Do you mean Analise?"

"uh..."

"Yea, it must be Analise you meant, honey." Added my wife, entering the conversation.

"Oh. Ok." I said and I continued reading the story.

"You have to change it." Said my daughter, stopping me. She pointed to the words on the screen of my laptop. "You have to fix it."

"Uh..." I began. "OK. Sure."

I dutifully edited out Annabelle's existence and replaced her with Analise. Satisfied, we continued on. I finished the story.

"What is 'The Easter Bunny is a Vegetarian' about?" Asked my wife. She was reading the stories herself. I jumped at the implied offer and began reading the story of when my daughter was planting Sun Flower Seeds with my wife for Easter.

"They were carrot seeds, not sun flower seeds." Corrected my daughter.

"What?" I stopped reading and stared at my daughter.

"Pays to have an editor." Added my wife with a laugh.

(Taken from my blog http://apseudoswede.blogspot.com)

Bad Parent, Good Parent

I have started my fourth blog post several times now and am struggling to state my idea. So I'm just going to blurt it out.

Imagine the three of us are standing in a circle chatting. You and the other person are talking about something when I, feeling like the third wheel suddenly stammer out of turn (and a little too loudly)...

I think every child should get training on how to be a good parent!

There, I've said it.

Let me add some context. I remember sitting alone, years back, at the counter of a breakfast diner in New Hope. Reading my book as I ate my eggs, I looked over to see a mother and her young son sit down several stools away. I cannot describe it, but there was something about her that raised the alarm in the back of my mind.

Bad Parent...

Every parent can recount the time when they were the Bad Parent. A time when their child whom they love so much did something, pushed "that" button, that made the parent so angry...

The boy reached for a oversized menu nearby and ticked his water glass with the corner of his menu as he struggled to open it.

"Do it this way." the mother said sternly as she grabbed his menu and arranged it in front of son. He seemed to shrink into himself on the stool as she opened his menu for him on the counter.

Of the maxims I've learned as a parent, sayings like, Pick Your Battles and Count to Ten, the one I feel strongly enough about to have turned into my own little mantra is, "build them up, don't tear them down."

This isn't what it seems and I'm making something from nothing. I rationalized to myself.

Yet as I watched the scene unfold something about how cowed he, around his mother, suggested that he expected her reaction, that he was used to being shut down. The perceived injustice of his treatment mingled bitterly with my own memories of being shamed as a child by my parents. As he lived his shame, I found myself reliving mine.

Signs of Bad Parenting

I've seen enough Bad Parenting examples, some of which were me. I've read too many sad news stories with bad outcomes for children. With every horrific incident in the news, the role of parents seems ignored.

169,000 hits in 0.26 seconds

I just googled "bad parenting" in the news and came up with a lot of results. It's said you cannot legislate morality; you cannot make a law that everyone should be a good parent.

How do we fix this issue?

We cannot create a law to force good parenting, we cannot punish bad parenting because where does it stop? I can imagine the Bad Parent Brigade going from home to home arresting Bad Parents. Would You be next? What about me?

I propose teaching children good parenting skills before they become parents. Starting at preschool through high school graduation, children would take an age appropriate course on good parenting skills. I envision a supportive network of classes teaching globally accepted good parenting skills combined with a social and educational network, supporting parents. The idea isn't  to punish parents for being parents, but provide basic to advanced skills that children can learn, teens can use, and adults can build upon.

We enforce driver's training and gun training, why not train all of us for the most important job we have?

This is my blogging exercise 4

Wii

The Nintendo Wii has received a lot of praise for its ability to get people to exercise, and an excellent way to get senior citizens active and engaged.  But did you know that can meet a psychosocial need or that it benefits balancing?  How about helping stroke patients? Or increase some internal motivation?  It appears it can do all these and more according to NHS.

There also appears to be some drawbacks such as the possibility of causing tendonitis, or having a lack of space to ensure safe operation. 

So with all the benefits that this system displays and also some drawbacks, it leaves the question and choice to you to decide if it is something you would be willing to try to improve any condition or simply lack of energy that you, or a loved one might have. 

Before you fly

A lot of people are still unaware what is allowed on checked bags and what is allowed on carry-on bags when they set out for vacation.  It can be very confusing with all the rules set about the tiny, clear bottles you need or if you can bring a cigarette lighter on the plane with you. 

With all the hassle and confusion it can land you in deep water if you are trying to carry something on the plane that is prohibited or maybe leave behind something that is of value to you in order to board you plane on time. 

Some items found and seized included breast pumps, (milk bottles empty), knife on a walker, grenade launcher, and even Batman throwing stars.  See full list of craziest items found here.  Although these are rare and most people know (or should know) these are prohibited, save yourself some hassle and check out the TSA website of prohibited items before you next flight.   

Major League Baseball is practicing Safe Sun!

Major League Baseball is practicing Safe Sun!

Major League Baseball has several foundations set up under their Major League Baseball community players and teams in the league.  They have selected these organizations to sponsor and loan the name and time to some great causes.  The variety of organizations focus’ on veterans (Welcome Back Veteran’s), giving children who live in poverty the chance to both play and attend their home teams baseball games as well as get active in the sport itself.  Some of these Major League Baseball organizations are (Baseball Assistance Team, Baseball Tomorrow Fund, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Breaking Barriers, and RBI).  Other important issues the Major League Baseball has formed stand up to cancer, 4ALS, Major League Baseball Greening Program, and the Commissioners Community Initiative.  One of the programs that have recently stood out to me is the Play Sun Smart

.  Hall of Famer Johnny Bench was recently named the spokesperson of the organization having his own experience with skin cancer.  This is an organization that is working to bring awareness to the issue of skin health and the affects of the sun can have on your skin.  This is an issue that directly impacts people everywhere and of every skin color. No one is discriminated against it when it comes to the sun.  The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) partnered with the Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association to create this organization.  Together they are encouraging and educating baseball fans to be more sun conscience, conduct skin exams, and to be safe when coming into contact with the sun.  this organization started on June 21, 2005.  Derek Lowe of the Los Angeles Dodgers was the first athlete on board and to be the first spokesperson as well.  He was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma.  Since then, several over baseball players joined over the years.  All who have either themselves been diagnosed with a type of skin cancer or a close loved one.  They have all been touched by skin cancer and have used this organization to voice their experiences.  They all do this in hopes that sharing their stories will inspire others to practice safe sun.

Individuals Have No Chance Against Food Giants

A while back we were talking in class about food. Specifically about who's responsibility it is for people to make healthy food choices. One one side we had those who claimed it was the individual's responsibility to make their own choices. On the other were those who felt that either the food industry or the government needed to voluntarily make changes to food regulation.

A recent study got me thinking about this topic again. This study found that drinking just 12 ounces of sugary soda a day led to a nearly 20% increase in diabetes even when factors like weight and caloric intake were taken into account. This is extremely strong evidence against personal responsibility for food choices. This study contradicts what even most health-conscious individuals believe: that a small vice was OK as long as the calories involved are compensated for elsewhere.

If even health-conscious, educated people can be fooled into thinking that moderate amounts of "bad" food are OK, then it seems unreasonable to think that we can put the responsibility on the individual.

What's even more disturbing is the fact that food companies have been waging a concentrated effort to make the foods we eat more unhealthy so that they are more addictive. Michael Moss recently published a book "Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us" in which he explains just what the title suggests. The food industry has been purposefully making food less healthy to get more people to purchase it. We all know that soda is unhealthy, but what about yogurt? Moss explains how Yoplait contains twice as much sugar per serving as Lucky Charms. You can read a review on the Washington Post that goes into more detail about just how far the food giants are willing to go to increase profits.

But the point I want to make is that it's nearly impossible for even an educated person to know what is healthy and what is not. And we have to be realistic that most of the people who are at the highest risk aren't educated. An individual simply can not be expected to combat all of the deceptive practices that these giant food corporations are able to employ.

And, if you're cynical and this does nothing but make you think "What idiots, they deserve to get diabetes and heart disease if they don't realize that eating crap will make them sick," then think of your pocket book. Costs of heart disease, stroke and diabetes are estimated at $606 billion per year in the U.S. alone. And the fact is that we all help pay those costs.