SERIOUSLY?
I recently
read that some people have complained about Notre Dame’s mascot. A leprechaun in a fighting pose for “The
Fighting Irish” was called offensive.
As if you
could ever offend the Irish. No one has
a better sense of humor about Irish stereotypes than the Irish themselves.
I highly
doubt that anyone of Irish heritage is offended by a fighting leprechaun
mascot. If you want to start some
trouble with the Irish, just try and get rid of the Notre Dame symbol.
It seems to me
that these days people are just looking for things to offend.
I once referred
to Myrle Streep as an actress and a young feminist nearly took my head
off. Apparently now, “Actress” is
offensive and misogynist. All actors today
are just actors regardless of gender.
I guess now
the Oscars will give a statue out to the “Best Cisgender Actor that was
Identified at Birth as Female.”
Somehow that
seems more offensive to me.
Pretty much
everything today is racist. I am white. I am sorry.
Bad enough
that it is hard to express an opinion without offending someone, opinions
expressed in the past are dug up to offend in the present.
That does
not seem fair. Its like getting a ticket
because 10 years ago you were driving on the expressway at 65 MPH and they just
changed the limit to 60 mph.
Don’t fight
it, it only makes it worse. Just pay the
ticket.
The world
today somehow reminds me of a swim club we were members of in the 80’s. It had a large pool, a snack bar, chairs and
tables around the pool, tennis courts, lifeguards with whistles and rules.
OMG there
were rules! And OMG there were whistles!
No diving
off the edge, no running, no eating in the pool area, no bottles in the pool
area, no long hair in the pool without a cap.
Oh, sure there were reasons for
all the rules.
Running on concrete
could cause scrapped knees. Diving of
the pool edge could be dangerous, eating brought ants, long hair shed and
clogged pool filters.
There was a
reason for every rule.
Well kids
around a pool will run, and they will dive.
All the whistles in the world never stopped it.
“Ooh,
sorry.” And 10
seconds later they were off running and diving.
They were kids. Kids run, and
around water they will jump in.
Eating
brings ants? Bull shit, and ants can be stepped on. I’m not leaving the pool area just to eat my
lunch or snack on a potato chip.
Sure,
bottles break and glass can cut. You can
also clean up broken glass before it cuts.
I know because I’ve done it at home like a thousand times.
Long hair clogging
the filter? Please! And if…just clean the
damn filters! That is what filters do, they
catch stuff and eventually clog if you don’t clear the caught stuff!
The constant
whistling and nagging about breaking the stupid pool rules was almost as
annoying as that freaking Marco Polo game the kids played all day long.
Anyway, I
used to say there should be just one rule in the pool area. Put up a big sign:
HAVING FUN
WHILE IN THE POOL AREA IS PROHIBITED!!
The world today
needs a similar proclamation:
NO
OFFENDING IN THE PUBLIC ARENA, THINKING OUTLOUD OR TALKING IS PROHIBITED!!
BTW, I still
say that Myrle Streep is a great actress!
The recent ones that gets me are birthing person instead of saying mother and chest feeding instead of breast feeding. The whole world has gone insane. I'm 100% Polish. In the 1970s when I was in high school Polish jokes were abundant. I never took offense to them. People are too thin skinned these days and everything and anything is offensive.
ReplyDeleteBeing a lifeguard in a public pool is not for the weakhearted I think.
betty
Our public pool had a footbath thingy that you had to step in going from the changing room to the pool, and back. Not sure how long foot fungus could survive on that sizzling hot concrete pool deck, or after swimming in chlorine for an hour. No rules against plopping a bare rumpus on the benches in the changing room, though... Of course I never did that!
ReplyDeleteBIG SIGN: No weeing in the pool. Certainly not from the diving boards!
ReplyDeleteGod bless, JoeH.
The whole world has gone nuts and I'm tired of trying to keep up with it. I probably say many things every day that offend somebody but I figure that's life. Meryl is a great actress.
ReplyDeleteI would love to know who is complaining about that mascot. I understand the beef when it’s something demeaning, but I will never understand why it’s offensive to compliment a race, gender, etc. And yes, I understand stereotypes, but if someone wants to say, ‘Germans sure know how to organize and maintain records for centuries,’ I’m going to personally take that as a compliment, whether it’s true of me personally or not.
ReplyDeleteThat's just crazy. There must have a special think tank that sits around and calls out anything and everything they deem as offensive. I imagine it is a group of snot nosed millennials, in the basement drinking red bulls and playing video games.
ReplyDeleteHum, I'm Irish and didn't know I was supposed to be offended by that scrappy little leprechaun. Still not.
ReplyDeleteMaybe just once somebody should complain. Everyone just shuts up and goes along because if you do complain you could be labeled whatever and lose your job, or a friend, or a political seat. Sometimes I get the feeling that there's no wrong things in the world yet at the same time we have to be careful of what we say or what our ancestors have said or done. All I know is that old sign by the pool that says "I won't swim in your toilet so please don't pee in my pool." Now that makes sense.
ReplyDeleteSometimes there are just too many rules, and it's not fun any more.
ReplyDelete"opinions expressed in the past are dug up to offend in the present"
ReplyDeleteSo true and So wrong. Leave the past where it belongs.
I do agree with all the pool rules though.
I agree Meryl Streep is a great actress, but if she prefers actor, I'll say actor, even though I think it's wrong.
what a beautiful line you have written here
ReplyDelete"there was reason for every rule "
yes this universe and life scenario has some certain rules and we need to understand that there is reason for every rule i agree .
this is brilliant post dear Joe and you nailed it beautifully as always !
yes today people are looking for being offensive so they can fight and bring out their stress and pour it on your head because tolerance seems to be going under mutation here since it is out of practice completely .
oh i loved the actress the wild river and step mom ,i watched these movies many times :)