Postal Profiling

Back in the days when I was on Facebook, I posted a comment about a clerk at the Kensington Post Office getting angry with me because I didn't want to purchase black history stamps.  Well, this ridiculousness happened all over again today at a post office in Manhattan.  I stopped at the Bryant Post Office on 43rd Street during my lunch hour to buy stamps and the clerk seemed personally offended when I chose the flag stamps over the black history ones.  The clerks in both instances were black and I'm black, so I guess they assumed I wanted black stamps.  I am no way against black history stamps. Sometimes I buy them, sometimes I don't.  My problem is with the profiling going on with the postal employees.  If I don't want black history stamps, don't get an attitude with me.  Sell me the stamps I want and put your ugliness in check.  I suspect these clerks don't push the black stamps on non-black customers or, if they do, I highly doubt they get an attitude if a white or Asian person chooses not to purchase them.  Why am I given the stink eye when I choose non-black stamps?  The clerk I dealt with today practically shoved my change in my hand and gave me a nasty, "Have a good day" after I refused stamps with the founder of Ebony magazine on them.  Huh?  Isn't this America?  Can't I buy whatever stamps I want to buy?  No wonder the post office is going broke. 

Everything That's Wrong with Brooklyn

So I read on Gothamist that some Brooklyn hipster dads created a $14 magazine for other hipster dads.  You can read about it here:
http://gothamist.com/2013/02/11/hipster_dad_magazine_makes_using_ph.php

This magazine, the people who created it, and those who might possibly read it constitute everything that's wrong with Brooklyn right now.  This publication is another example of folks who say they love living in the city because of its culture and diversity and end up associating with people who are just like themselves in terms of race, upbringing, and life in general.  (Note: having an Asian wife or girlfriend doesn't give you an automatic diversity pass either.)  Not that there's anything wrong with wanting to be with people you feel you have a lot in common with, but don't try to bullshit folks by telling people you appreciate diversity when, truthfully, you don't (or at least the life you lead doesn't show that you do).  I do commend one of the magazine's founders for realizing that the first issue isn't racially or economically diverse and he claims he and the staff will work to rectify this situation for future editions (if there are future editions).

People (myself included) criticize Detroit for being racially segregated and it is.  However, Brooklyn isn't exactly a melting pot either.  Sure, lots of different people live in the city, but a lot of those people don't associate with folks who are different from themselves in terms of race, ethnicity, income, and education.  Yes, Brooklyn is miles ahead of Detroit in terms of racial diversity, but it is not the promised land that some folks seem to think it is either.

Shut Up, Oprah!

I delayed my weekly trip to the laundromat today so I could stay home and watch the first part of Oprah's two-part interview with Nate Berkus.  I quickly realized that the interview wouldn't need to be in two parts if Oprah would just shut up and late Nate talk.  Every time Nate talked about some personal experience, Oprah had to jump in and insert her own personal tale of woe or put her own interpretation on it.  When did Oprah become so annoying?  She must truly believe that she's some kind of guru.   During one of the few times she let Nate get a word in edgewise, it was interesting to hear him talk about how his father thought he was going to try to kill himself once he came out as gay.  In his father's mind, being gay was the equivalent of being miserable.  Nate had to set him straight (no pun intended) on that.  I don't know if I can bear to watch the second part of the interview because I suspect Oprah will dominate it once again, but I like Nate Berkus so I probably will tune in.

Hello! You've Got Snow!

Yes, it snowed yesterday and overnight, but you probably already knew that. The media, once again, threw itself into a frenzy of over-the-top reporting. When I saw Lonnie Quinn with his jacket off and his sleeves rolled up, I knew there was trouble ahead. Did we really need a walk and talk from the weather center to the studio, Lon? I don't think so! Since I isn't venture out today, I'm posting a picture of Prospect Park that I took a few weeks ago.

Faith for the Faithful

There's an article in today's NY Times that discusses how a Lutheran pastor was admonished by the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) and forced to apologize because he attended an interfaith service for Sandy Hook victims in Connecticut.  My sister sent me a link to the story that I've provided below.  My sister was angered that the Lutherans frown upon members of their flock attending interfaith religious services.  We grew up in the Missouri Synod branch of the Lutheran Church and it is a very conservative branch of Lutheranism.  I didn't realize how conservative it was until I got out of it.  What I don't understand is why the Lutherans think that if you sit and listen to a Buddist or a Hindu talk about his/her religion that you're somehow worshipping that faith.  If you are strong in your faith, it shouldn't matter if you're sitting around with a bunch of agnostics or devil worshippers.  You should be able to walk out of that the same way you walked in.  If you walked in a Christian, then you should walk out a Christian.  Attending a service with people of faiths other than your own shouldn't sway you from your faith.  I would think the Lutherans would be glad to have one of their own at the interfaith service to provide a Christian perspective and maybe even get some converts. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/08/nyregion/lutheran-pastor-explains-role-in-sandy-hook-interfaith-service.html?emc=eta1&_r=0

Duped!

Let me first say that I love my Kindle.  I love the fact that I can get a free sample of a book I'm thinking of purchasing before I actually purchase it.  However, lately, I've felt like I've been duped by the samples of a few books I've recently purchased.  The sample is so good that I jump to purchase the entire book only to watch it fall apart.  It's frustrating to have a book start with so much potential and then turn into page after page of ridiculousness and tomfoolery.  I feel like I've been suckered.  It's amazing how some books start so wonderfully and fall off the cliff soon after.

Good Riddance to a Bad Week

I'll just say it.  This week sucked hard and was filled primarily with problems.  Between my busted doctor's appointment (that I blogged about on Tuesday) to screw ups at work (not my own this time), the days were painfully annoying to get through.  Why don't people listen when you try to give them advice that will help them?  Why do some folks assume you're trying to undermine them or overrule them when you're simply pointing out a potential problem or providing advice on how to stop a problem from occurring?  Then, after you've been shot down or ignored and the shit hits the fan, who has to come behind and clean up the mess?  Me, that's who.  Maybe next week will be an improvement over this one.  I certainly hope that's the case.