A Dangerous Opinion

I have an opinion about the Mizzou unrest this week.  It is not a oft spoken one and it may get me into a lot of trouble.  I have to express it.

The young man who is Missouri Student's Association president, Payton Head, writes about being called the n-word in the Missourian Newspaper.

He handles this issue with grace and a maturity that speaks volumes about his upbringing and self awareness.  I hope that he continues on a path of leadership.

Here is where my opinion gets dangerous.  The n-word is a filthy, terrible word that should not come out of anyone's mouth.  My issue is that one cannot take offense when one particular person says it and not when another says it.  What do I mean?  As a white woman, I am offensive and racist if I use the n-word.  If a black individual is with a group of black friends, you will hear the n-word thrown around without offense.  It doesn't make sense to me and no one has ever been able to explain why it is ok for one and not another.  Either the word is offensive or it is not.  It should not matter the color of the mouth it comes from.  In my house, we do not say it.  If you do not like someone, color or racial slurs are not permitted.  You comment on the behavior, not the color.

MSA president speaks out about racist incident

COLUMBIA — Payton Head said the first time he was ever called the "N-word" was behind a fraternity house in Greektown when he was walking a friend home from campus at night last spring.

"I'd had experience with racism before, like microaggressions, but that was the first time I'd experienced in-your-face racism," Head, now a senior and president of the Missouri Students Association, said.

He had considered leaving MU but joined MSA instead.

Then on  Friday night, Head said he was walking down Hitt Street when a pickup passed him and a passenger repeatedly shouted racial slurs at him.

"Some guys in the back of a pickup just started yelling the 'N-word' at me," Head said Monday.

This time, his response was a Facebook post on Saturday that brought it to the attention of the MU community.

"I could either not say anything and go about my night, or I could finish my term and stay angry, or I could say something," Head said in the interview.

In his online post, Head expanded his experience beyond racism and addressed issues of exclusion that multiple MU minority groups face.

"I really just want to know why my simple existence is such a threat to society," Head wrote. "For those of you who wonder why I'm always talking about the importance of inclusion and respect, it's because I've experienced moments like this multiple times at THIS university, making me not feel included here."

In his post, Head mentioned aggression against a Muslim woman who wears the hijab, a transgender student who was spat on downtown and students with disabilities trying to navigate Memorial Union. He talked about women who feel uncomfortable walking outside at night.

In both the post and the interview, he described his experience walking past a bar with his partner and having drinks thrown at them.

"I could have easily made this post about myself, but it's my job to think about the whole community," Head said.

Head said he wants to challenge the respectability many people think MU has and the notion that racist incidents don't happen in Columbia, or that the MSA president would be exempt from racism.

As MSA president, Head has the power to introduce legislation or take direct action, and he can push committees to look at specific issues and bring students' concerns to the attention of committees and MU leaders.

"These are some of my experiences and the experiences of the ones closest to me," Head said in his Facebook post. "This is what I'm fighting against every day in boardrooms, conferences, meetings, classrooms, the Capitol, and in my daily life. This is my reality. Is it weird that I think that I have the right to feel safe here, too? If you see violence like this and don't say anything, you, yes YOU, are a part of the problem."

More than 684 people liked Head's post as of 9:30 p.m. Monday, and there were 645 "shares." Cathy Scroggs, MU vice chancellor of student affairs, posted on Head's Facebook page: "Payton is a profile in courage."

Head said a friend called MU Police.

The police have reached out and spoken to Head, MU spokesman Christian Basi said Monday evening.

After the first time he was called a racist insult, Head said, "I didn't want to be (at MU) anymore." But this time, he said his duty as president is to make sure MSA and the MU community know that students face racism and other aggression.

"Mizzou is home," Head said. "But if I don't expose the issues going on in my own home, how will anything change?"

Supervising editor is Elizabeth Brixey.

People really can take advantage of good manners

My daughter works for a gas station behind the register.  As anyone who has worked in retail knows, people can be real jerks.  A few nights ago, a man came in and bought $3.00 worth of goods.  He gave her a twenty dollar bill to pay.  When she made change, he decided that he wanted the twenty back and gave her a five dollar bill.  She gave him the original change and then stated that she could not make change for him.  This is how they stop short change artists cold.  He became VERY abusive and made statements like white people where always trying to get over on black people, blah, blah, blah.

She tried her best to be nice but asked another customer to knock on the cooler doors so her co worker could come out to help with the line of customers that had accumulated while this man ranted.  They eventually called the police and found that the man had warrants out for his arrest.  They also found out that while he ranted, his two accomplices robbed $300.00 worth of liquor from the shop.  They were all arrested and while the police were searching their car, they found drugs.

Here is my biggest problem...no one in that line spoke up.  No one stopped the others from stealing although they clearly saw what was happening.  Are we so wrapped up in our phones and wanting to stay out of other peoples problems that we would let someone hurt another?  If that is the pervasive attitude, what do we expect to happen when we are on the other end of such treatment?

I like to watch the TV show, What would you do? because it shows me that there are some people still out there that give a care about what is happing to other people and they stand up for them.  I would like to think that I would have stood up for my daughter if I were in that line and I did not know the clerk.  As far as being her mother, that man should thank the Lord that I was not in that line because the police would have taken him out on a stretcher and I would have been charged with assault.

Howl-o-ween

This is my favorite time of the year!  The weather is just right, the air smells like bonfires, and fall colors are glorious!  Tonight will be fun because I get to see the little people dressed up.  They are so cute.
My children and I cut pumpkins and have a contest to see which one is best.  Of course, The OSU pumpkin is mine...
Tonight, we are changing our routine.  My son and I are going to see a concert in St. Louis.  Twenty One Pilots is playing at the Chafitz Arena.  I hope that I am not disappointed for skipping candy duty...
I hope that everyone has a safe Halloween tonight.

Just a plug...

Would you like to help out a great cause?  Then go to the Mascoutah Senior Center on November 1, 2015 from 3-5 pm and enjoy their wine and cheese tasting.  They also have a silent auction that had some really nice things!
The money that you spend goes to fund the meals that they send for Meals on Wheels and low cost lunches for seniors.  You don’t even need to be a resident of Mascoutah.  All money spends...www.facebook.com/AGEWITHATTITUDE

Fire 'em all!!

I do not typically identify myself as Republican or Democrat.  I like to think that I listen to the proposal and make a decision on its merits, not whether the party would like it or not. 

If I went to work and told my supervisor that I was going to do some of my job, but not all, because someone else wasn't doing their job, I would have already lost my job. 

So, why isn't anyone getting fired in Springfield?  How can just a few people hold an entire state hostage?  If they cannot work together, get rid of them.  I think that if they were held accountable for their productivity, or lack thereof, they would work a little more to get to some agreement.

Illinois is an embarrassment to the U.S. with its bickering and grandstanding.  We are a shining example of what not to do in politics.

Rant over....

I love the fall

While everyone may love other seasons; my favorite is fall.  The temperature is perfect, the leaves are beautiful, and apples and pumpkins are ready to eat!  Halloween is around the corner and Octoberfest is here.  Many little towns and colleges have homecomings to celebrate.  Football season is warming up and tailgating season is upon us.  People seem to come together more and everyone is outside enjoying the weather before it gets cold.

A Pope for all...

I am not a Catholic, nor do I wish to become one.  With that being said, I am impressed with Pope Francis.  Of all the Pontiffs that I have heard before, he is the most humane, likeable, and believable.  I appreciate his positions on current events and how he is handling old ones.  He brings a calm, quiet, voice to an otherwise loud world and makes people listen.  He is bringing energy back to the church and outside of the church with his viewpoints. 

My favorite is his forgiveness for women that have had abortions.  Mistakes are made and he is allowing them to come back in. 

I believe that he will be remembered as one of the best.